Copper Color Palette
Copper is hex #B87333, rgb(184, 115, 51). Copper is a warm reddish-brown metallic. It looks handmade and premium, and it pairs especially well with deep green and charcoal.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Copper color codes
Reading the copper color codes
The hex code #B87333 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. B8 is 184, 73 is 115 and 33 is 51, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(184, 115, 51) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives copper its orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 29 degrees places copper in the orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 57% makes it moderately saturated, and lightness of 46% 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 0% cyan, 38% magenta, 72% yellow and 28% 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 copper for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Copper shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #B87333, so you can use copper for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"copper": {
50: "#F2E6DB",
100: "#E9D3BF",
200: "#DFC0A3",
300: "#D5AD87",
400: "#CB996B",
500: "#C2864F",
600: "#B87333",
700: "#9B612B",
800: "#7D4E23",
900: "#603C1B",
950: "#422913",
},
},
},
}:root {
--copper-50: #F2E6DB;
--copper-100: #E9D3BF;
--copper-200: #DFC0A3;
--copper-300: #D5AD87;
--copper-400: #CB996B;
--copper-500: #C2864F;
--copper-600: #B87333;
--copper-700: #9B612B;
--copper-800: #7D4E23;
--copper-900: #603C1B;
--copper-950: #422913;
}A shade-by-shade guide to copper
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 (#F2E6DB) and 100 (#E9D3BF), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the copper mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#DFC0A3) and 300 (#D5AD87) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where copper 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 (#7D4E23) through 950 (#422913), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to copper. 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 copper
How the copper color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from copper is #3378B8, which sits closest to steel blue 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. #B83336 and #B8B533 sit 30 degrees either side of copper. 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 (#33B873 and #7333B8) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to zomp. The split complementary set (#33B8B6 and #3335B8) 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 #E5C19F to #482D14. 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.
Copper compared with similar colors
bronze (#CD7F32) is about as light and similarly saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose bronze if you want a softer, airier version; choose copper if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
ochre (#CC7722) is about as light and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose ochre if you want a softer, airier version; choose copper if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
burnt sienna (#E97451) is lighter (62% vs 46% lightness) and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward red. Choose burnt sienna if you want a softer, airier version; choose copper if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Copper in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here copper carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
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Using copper in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on copper reach 3.79:1, enough for large or bold text only. For regular button labels, use step 700 or switch to dark text.
- Text. Avoid copper for body text on white; use step 700 or darker for links and headings that need to read as copper.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a moderately saturated 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 copper. 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). Copper scores 3.79:1 against white (AA large) and 5.54:1 against black (AA). 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 copper alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What copper means
Metallic colors (gold, silver, bronze, copper, rose gold) suggest value, achievement and craftsmanship.
Copper is one of the first metals worked by humans, and its warm reddish tone is associated with craft, cooking and distilling. As a color it brings warmth and a handmade premium feel.
Flat metallic hex codes look dull on screen because real metal depends on reflections. Use them as accents, or build a subtle gradient between two tones of the metal.
Where copper works best
- Kitchenware and coffee
- Craft distilleries
- Interior fittings
- Premium packaging
How to style copper
Copper pairs with deep green, charcoal, cream and navy. Like all metallics it looks flat as a single hex, so use a gentle gradient for metallic effects and keep it for accents and dividers.
Build a UI with copper
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #B87333 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Copper · History and definition of copper.
- 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 copper?
The hex code for copper used on this page is #B87333. In RGB that is rgb(184, 115, 51), and in HSL it is hsl(29, 57%, 46%).
What colors go well with copper?
Copper pairs well with #E8C7A6, #F7F2EC, #1F3B2D (the Distillery palette above). Its complementary color is #3378B8, and analogous colors are #B83336 and #B8B533.
Is copper a warm or cool color?
Copper is a warm color. Its hue sits at 29 degrees on the color wheel with 57% saturation.
Can I use copper for text?
Copper has a contrast ratio of 3.79:1 against white and 5.54:1 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 copper mean?
Metallic colors (gold, silver, bronze, copper, rose gold) suggest value, achievement and craftsmanship. Copper in particular is used for kitchenware and coffee and craft distilleries.
How do I use copper in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#B87333] 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-copper-500 and text-copper-900.
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