Charcoal Color Palette
Charcoal is hex #36454F, rgb(54, 69, 79). Charcoal is a dark blue-grey named after burnt wood. It is the most common 'not quite black' for text and dark interfaces because it is softer on the eyes.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Charcoal color codes
Reading the charcoal color codes
The hex code #36454F is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 36 is 54, 45 is 69 and 4F is 79, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(54, 69, 79) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives charcoal its blue character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 204 degrees places charcoal in the blue part of the color wheel. Saturation of 19% makes it muted, and lightness of 26% 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 32% cyan, 13% magenta, 0% yellow and 69% 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 charcoal for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Charcoal shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #36454F, so you can use charcoal for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"charcoal": {
50: "#E2E4E5",
100: "#CCD0D2",
200: "#B7BCC0",
300: "#A1A8AD",
400: "#8C949A",
500: "#768187",
600: "#616D75",
700: "#4B5962",
800: "#36454F",
900: "#29353C",
950: "#1C242A",
},
},
},
}:root {
--charcoal-50: #E2E4E5;
--charcoal-100: #CCD0D2;
--charcoal-200: #B7BCC0;
--charcoal-300: #A1A8AD;
--charcoal-400: #8C949A;
--charcoal-500: #768187;
--charcoal-600: #616D75;
--charcoal-700: #4B5962;
--charcoal-800: #36454F;
--charcoal-900: #29353C;
--charcoal-950: #1C242A;
}A shade-by-shade guide to charcoal
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 (#E2E4E5) and 100 (#CCD0D2), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the charcoal mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#B7BCC0) and 300 (#A1A8AD) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where charcoal 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 600 upward, so use step 600 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#36454F) through 950 (#1C242A), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to charcoal. 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 charcoal
How the charcoal color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from charcoal is #4F4036, which sits closest to taupe 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. #364F4D and #36394F sit 30 degrees either side of charcoal. 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 (#4F3645 and #454F36) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to taupe. The split complementary set (#4F3639 and #4F4D36) 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 #7A93A4 to #111518. 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.
Charcoal compared with similar colors
gunmetal (#2A3439) is darker (19% vs 26% lightness) and similarly saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose gunmetal if you need more weight and contrast; choose charcoal if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
hunter green (#355E3B) is about as light and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward green. Choose hunter green if you want a softer, airier version; choose charcoal if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
taupe (#483C32) is about as light and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward orange. Choose taupe if you need more weight and contrast; choose charcoal if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
Charcoal in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here charcoal carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using charcoal in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Charcoal carries white labels at 9.9:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Charcoal 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 muted 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 charcoal. 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). Charcoal scores 9.9:1 against white (AAA) and 2.12:1 against black (Fail). 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 charcoal alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What charcoal means
Greys and charcoals feel professional, technical and serious. Blue-tinted greys feel cool and modern; warm greys feel softer.
Charcoal is named after the black-grey of burnt wood. It is one of the most common colors for text and dark interfaces because it is softer than pure black.
Most interfaces are built mostly from greys. Choosing a tinted grey (slate, charcoal) instead of a flat one gives the whole product a consistent temperature.
Where charcoal works best
- Body text
- Dark mode surfaces
- Corporate design
- Architecture and interiors
How to style charcoal
Charcoal pairs with almost any color: coral, mustard, teal, white and cream. Use it for body text, dark-mode surfaces and icons. Keep a little blue or warm tint so it matches the rest of your palette.
Build a UI with charcoal
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #36454F as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Charcoal · History and definition of charcoal.
- 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 charcoal?
The hex code for charcoal used on this page is #36454F. In RGB that is rgb(54, 69, 79), and in HSL it is hsl(204, 19%, 26%).
What colors go well with charcoal?
Charcoal pairs well with #1F2A30, #F4F6F7, #9AA5AD (the Graphite palette above). Its complementary color is #4F4036, and analogous colors are #364F4D and #36394F.
Is charcoal a warm or cool color?
Charcoal is a cool color. Its hue sits at 204 degrees on the color wheel with 19% saturation.
Can I use charcoal for text?
Charcoal has a contrast ratio of 9.9:1 against white and 2.12:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does charcoal mean?
Greys and charcoals feel professional, technical and serious. Blue-tinted greys feel cool and modern; warm greys feel softer. Charcoal in particular is used for body text and dark mode surfaces.
How do I use charcoal in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#36454F] 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-charcoal-500 and text-charcoal-900.
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