Chartreuse Color Palette
Chartreuse is hex #7FFF00, rgb(127, 255, 0). Chartreuse sits exactly between yellow and green and is named after the French liqueur. It is loud and modern, and it reads best against black or deep navy.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Chartreuse color codes
Reading the chartreuse color codes
The hex code #7FFF00 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 7F is 127, FF is 255 and 00 is 0, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(127, 255, 0) in CSS. The green channel is the strongest here, which is what gives chartreuse its yellow-green character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 90 degrees places chartreuse in the yellow-green part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 50% makes it a mid-tone 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 50% cyan, 0% magenta, 100% yellow and 0% 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 chartreuse for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Chartreuse shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #7FFF00, so you can use chartreuse for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"chartreuse": {
50: "#E5FFCC",
100: "#D1FFA3",
200: "#BCFF7A",
300: "#A8FF52",
400: "#93FF29",
500: "#7FFF00",
600: "#6EDD00",
700: "#5DBA00",
800: "#4B9800",
900: "#3A7600",
950: "#295300",
},
},
},
}:root {
--chartreuse-50: #E5FFCC;
--chartreuse-100: #D1FFA3;
--chartreuse-200: #BCFF7A;
--chartreuse-300: #A8FF52;
--chartreuse-400: #93FF29;
--chartreuse-500: #7FFF00;
--chartreuse-600: #6EDD00;
--chartreuse-700: #5DBA00;
--chartreuse-800: #4B9800;
--chartreuse-900: #3A7600;
--chartreuse-950: #295300;
}A shade-by-shade guide to chartreuse
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 (#E5FFCC) and 100 (#D1FFA3), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the chartreuse mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#BCFF7A) and 300 (#A8FF52) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where chartreuse 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 900 upward, so use step 900 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 800.
The darkest steps, 800 (#4B9800) through 950 (#295300), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to chartreuse. 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 chartreuse
How the chartreuse color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from chartreuse is #8000FF, which sits closest to violet 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. #FEFF00 and #00FF00 sit 30 degrees either side of chartreuse. 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 (#007FFF and #FF007F) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to royal blue. The split complementary set (#0000FF and #FF00FF) 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 #CCFF99 to #387000. 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.
Chartreuse compared with similar colors
lime green (#32CD32) is about as light and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward green. Choose lime green if you need more weight and contrast; choose chartreuse if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
olive green (#808000) is darker (25% vs 50% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward yellow-orange. Choose olive green if you need more weight and contrast; choose chartreuse if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
pistachio (#93C572) is lighter (61% vs 50% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward yellow-green. Choose pistachio if you want a softer, airier version; choose chartreuse if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Chartreuse in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here chartreuse carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using chartreuse in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on chartreuse only reach 1.3:1, so use dark text (16.21:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid chartreuse for body text on white; use step 900 or darker for links and headings that need to read as chartreuse.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid mid-tone 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 chartreuse. 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). Chartreuse scores 1.3:1 against white (Fail) and 16.21:1 against black (AAA). 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 chartreuse alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What chartreuse means
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic.
Chartreuse is named after the French liqueur made by Carthusian monks since the 18th century. The color sits exactly between yellow and green and has become a favorite of fashion editors and design-led tech brands.
In interfaces green is already wired to mean success and confirmation, so if you use it as a brand color, pick a different hue (or a much darker shade) for success states so the two never get confused.
Where chartreuse works best
- Fashion editorials
- Tech launches and events
- Dark mode accents
- Music and nightlife
How to style chartreuse
Chartreuse is strongest against near-black, deep green or navy. It is a background or accent color, not a text color on white. Pair it with greys and one dark neutral for a modern, editorial look.
Build a UI with chartreuse
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #7FFF00 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Chartreuse · History and definition of chartreuse.
- 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 chartreuse?
The hex code for chartreuse used on this page is #7FFF00. In RGB that is rgb(127, 255, 0), and in HSL it is hsl(90, 100%, 50%).
What colors go well with chartreuse?
Chartreuse pairs well with #111111, #2A2A2A, #F2F2F2 (the Afterhours palette above). Its complementary color is #8000FF, and analogous colors are #FEFF00 and #00FF00.
Is chartreuse a warm or cool color?
Chartreuse is a slightly warm color. Its hue sits at 90 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use chartreuse for text?
Chartreuse has a contrast ratio of 1.3:1 against white and 16.21:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does chartreuse mean?
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic. Chartreuse in particular is used for fashion editorials and tech launches and events.
How do I use chartreuse in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#7FFF00] 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-chartreuse-500 and text-chartreuse-900.
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