Cerulean Color Palette
Cerulean is hex #007BA7, rgb(0, 123, 167). Cerulean is a deep sky blue with a slight green lean, from the Latin for 'heavenly'. It is clear and calm without feeling corporate.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Cerulean color codes
Reading the cerulean color codes
The hex code #007BA7 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 00 is 0, 7B is 123 and A7 is 167, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(0, 123, 167) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives cerulean its cyan character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 196 degrees places cerulean in the cyan part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 33% makes it a dark color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 100% cyan, 26% magenta, 0% yellow and 35% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to cerulean for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Cerulean shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #007BA7, so you can use cerulean for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"cerulean": {
50: "#D6EAF1",
100: "#B8DAE6",
200: "#99CADC",
300: "#7ABAD1",
400: "#5CABC7",
500: "#3D9BBC",
600: "#1F8BB2",
700: "#007BA7",
800: "#006488",
900: "#004D68",
950: "#003649",
},
},
},
}:root {
--cerulean-50: #D6EAF1;
--cerulean-100: #B8DAE6;
--cerulean-200: #99CADC;
--cerulean-300: #7ABAD1;
--cerulean-400: #5CABC7;
--cerulean-500: #3D9BBC;
--cerulean-600: #1F8BB2;
--cerulean-700: #007BA7;
--cerulean-800: #006488;
--cerulean-900: #004D68;
--cerulean-950: #003649;
}A shade-by-shade guide to cerulean
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#D6EAF1) and 100 (#B8DAE6), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the cerulean mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#99CADC) and 300 (#7ABAD1) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where cerulean is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 700 upward, so use step 700 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#006488) through 950 (#003649), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to cerulean. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with cerulean
How the cerulean color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from cerulean is #A72C00, which sits closest to rust among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #00A77F and #0028A7 sit 30 degrees either side of cerulean. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#A7007B and #7BA700) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to raspberry. The split complementary set (#A70028 and #A77F00) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #41CDFF to #001E29. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Cerulean compared with similar colors
teal (#008080) is darker (25% vs 33% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward cyan. Choose teal if you need more weight and contrast; choose cerulean if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
denim blue (#1560BD) is lighter (41% vs 33% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward blue. Choose denim blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose cerulean if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
skobeloff (#007474) is darker (23% vs 33% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward cyan. Choose skobeloff if you need more weight and contrast; choose cerulean if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Cerulean in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here cerulean carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using cerulean in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Cerulean carries white labels at 4.78:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Cerulean works as text on white backgrounds.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid dark color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with cerulean. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Cerulean scores 4.78:1 against white (AA) and 4.39:1 against black (AA large). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use cerulean alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What cerulean means
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it.
Cerulean comes from the Latin caeruleus, meaning sky blue or heavenly. The pigment cerulean blue was introduced to artists in the 19th century.
Because so many products already use blue, the shade matters more than the hue. Pair it with an unexpected neutral or accent so the interface does not look like every other dashboard.
Where cerulean works best
- Travel and tourism
- Healthcare
- Water and ocean brands
- Education
How to style cerulean
Cerulean pairs with sand, coral, white and navy. It supports white text for larger elements. Use it as a fresh primary for travel, health and education products.
Build a UI with cerulean
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #007BA7 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Cerulean · History and definition of cerulean.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for cerulean?
The hex code for cerulean used on this page is #007BA7. In RGB that is rgb(0, 123, 167), and in HSL it is hsl(196, 100%, 33%).
What colors go well with cerulean?
Cerulean pairs well with #004E6A, #E6F4F9, #F2E8CF (the Aegean palette above). Its complementary color is #A72C00, and analogous colors are #00A77F and #0028A7.
Is cerulean a warm or cool color?
Cerulean is a cool color. Its hue sits at 196 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use cerulean for text?
Cerulean has a contrast ratio of 4.78:1 against white and 4.39:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does cerulean mean?
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it. Cerulean in particular is used for travel and tourism and healthcare.
How do I use cerulean in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#007BA7] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-cerulean-500 and text-cerulean-900.
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