Maroon Color Palette
Maroon is hex #800000, rgb(128, 0, 0). Maroon is a dark brownish red, warmer than burgundy. It has strong sporting and academic associations, and it reads as traditional and steady rather than flashy.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Maroon color codes
Reading the maroon color codes
The hex code #800000 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 80 is 128, 00 is 0 and 00 is 0, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(128, 0, 0) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives maroon its red character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 0 degrees places maroon in the red part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 25% 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 0% cyan, 100% magenta, 100% yellow and 50% 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 maroon for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Maroon shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #800000, so you can use maroon for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"maroon": {
50: "#ECDADA",
100: "#DFBEBE",
200: "#D1A3A3",
300: "#C48888",
400: "#B66D6D",
500: "#A95252",
600: "#9B3636",
700: "#8E1B1B",
800: "#800000",
900: "#620000",
950: "#450000",
},
},
},
}:root {
--maroon-50: #ECDADA;
--maroon-100: #DFBEBE;
--maroon-200: #D1A3A3;
--maroon-300: #C48888;
--maroon-400: #B66D6D;
--maroon-500: #A95252;
--maroon-600: #9B3636;
--maroon-700: #8E1B1B;
--maroon-800: #800000;
--maroon-900: #620000;
--maroon-950: #450000;
}A shade-by-shade guide to maroon
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 (#ECDADA) and 100 (#DFBEBE), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the maroon mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#D1A3A3) and 300 (#C48888) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where maroon 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 500 upward, so use step 500 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 400.
The darkest steps, 800 (#800000) through 950 (#450000), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to maroon. 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 maroon
How the maroon color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from maroon is #008080, which sits closest to teal 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. #800040 and #804000 sit 30 degrees either side of maroon. 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 (#008000 and #000080) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to forest green. The split complementary set (#008040 and #004080) 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 #FF1A1A to #290000. 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.
Maroon compared with similar colors
burgundy (#800020) is about as light and similarly saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward red. Choose burgundy if you need more weight and contrast; choose maroon if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
chocolate brown (#7B3F00) is about as light and similarly saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward orange. Choose chocolate brown if you need more weight and contrast; choose maroon if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
wine (#722F37) is lighter (32% vs 25% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward red. Choose wine if you want a softer, airier version; choose maroon if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Maroon in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here maroon carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using maroon in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Maroon carries white labels at 10.95:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Maroon 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 maroon. 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). Maroon scores 10.95:1 against white (AAA) and 1.92:1 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 maroon alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What maroon means
Red is the most urgent color: passion, energy, appetite and danger. Darker reds like burgundy and wine shift toward luxury and tradition.
Maroon comes from the French marron, meaning chestnut. It is a brownish crimson and has long been a team and school color, particularly in North American universities and sports. In South Asian design it is closely linked with weddings and celebration.
Red is reserved for errors and destructive actions in most interfaces. If red is your brand color, keep it for marketing surfaces and give destructive actions an explicit label as well as a color.
Where maroon works best
- Sports teams and universities
- Traditional retail
- Indian wedding design
- Heritage food brands
How to style maroon
Maroon pairs with gold, cream, grey and navy. It reads as dependable and traditional rather than passionate, so it suits heritage brands, academic sites and premium food. On screen it easily supports white text. Use lighter tints of maroon or warm neutrals for surfaces so pages do not feel heavy.
Build a UI with maroon
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #800000 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Maroon · History and definition of maroon.
- 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 maroon?
The hex code for maroon used on this page is #800000. In RGB that is rgb(128, 0, 0), and in HSL it is hsl(0, 100%, 25%).
What colors go well with maroon?
Maroon pairs well with #5C0A0A, #F5ECE3, #D4A373 (the Varsity palette above). Its complementary color is #008080, and analogous colors are #800040 and #804000.
Is maroon a warm or cool color?
Maroon is a warm color. Its hue sits at 0 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use maroon for text?
Maroon has a contrast ratio of 10.95:1 against white and 1.92:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does maroon mean?
Red is the most urgent color: passion, energy, appetite and danger. Darker reds like burgundy and wine shift toward luxury and tradition. Maroon in particular is used for sports teams and universities and traditional retail.
How do I use maroon in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#800000] 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-maroon-500 and text-maroon-900.
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