Slate Grey Color Palette
Slate Grey is hex #708090, rgb(112, 128, 144). Slate grey is a medium grey with a blue-green tint, named after the stone. It is a CSS named color and a calm, professional mid-tone for dashboards.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Slate Grey color codes
Reading the slate grey color codes
The hex code #708090 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 70 is 112, 80 is 128 and 90 is 144, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(112, 128, 144) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives slate grey its blue character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 210 degrees places slate grey in the blue part of the color wheel. Saturation of 13% makes it muted, 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 22% cyan, 11% magenta, 0% yellow and 44% 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 slate grey for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Slate Grey shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #708090, so you can use slate grey for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"slate-grey": {
50: "#E2E6E9",
100: "#CCD1D7",
200: "#B5BDC5",
300: "#9EA9B4",
400: "#8794A2",
500: "#708090",
600: "#616F7D",
700: "#525D69",
800: "#424C56",
900: "#333B42",
950: "#24292F",
},
},
},
}:root {
--slate-grey-50: #E2E6E9;
--slate-grey-100: #CCD1D7;
--slate-grey-200: #B5BDC5;
--slate-grey-300: #9EA9B4;
--slate-grey-400: #8794A2;
--slate-grey-500: #708090;
--slate-grey-600: #616F7D;
--slate-grey-700: #525D69;
--slate-grey-800: #424C56;
--slate-grey-900: #333B42;
--slate-grey-950: #24292F;
}A shade-by-shade guide to slate grey
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 (#E2E6E9) and 100 (#CCD1D7), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the slate grey mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#B5BDC5) and 300 (#9EA9B4) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where slate grey 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 (#424C56) through 950 (#24292F), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to slate grey. 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 slate grey
How the slate grey color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from slate grey is #908070, which sits closest to moss green 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. #709090 and #707090 sit 30 degrees either side of slate grey. 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 (#907080 and #809070) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to rose gold. The split complementary set (#907070 and #909070) 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 #C6CCD3 to #313940. 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.
Slate Grey compared with similar colors
steel blue (#4682B4) is about as light and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose steel blue if you need more weight and contrast; choose slate grey if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
moss green (#8A9A5B) is about as light and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward yellow-green. Choose moss green if you need more weight and contrast; choose slate grey if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
sage green (#9CAF88) is lighter (61% vs 50% lightness) and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward yellow-green. Choose sage green if you want a softer, airier version; choose slate grey if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
Slate Grey in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here slate grey carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using slate grey in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on slate grey reach 4.05:1, enough for large or bold text only. For regular button labels, use step 600 or switch to dark text.
- Text. Avoid slate grey for body text on white; use step 600 or darker for links and headings that need to read as slate grey.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a muted 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 slate grey. 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). Slate Grey scores 4.05:1 against white (AA large) and 5.18:1 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 slate grey alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What slate grey means
Greys and charcoals feel professional, technical and serious. Blue-tinted greys feel cool and modern; warm greys feel softer.
Slate grey is named after the stone used for roofs and writing slates. It is one of the CSS named colors and a calm, cool mid-grey with a blue-green tint.
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 slate grey works best
- SaaS dashboards
- Corporate websites
- Borders and secondary text
- Architecture
How to style slate grey
Slate grey pairs with white, navy, coral and amber. Use it for secondary text, borders and icons. Check contrast if you use it for small text on white; darker slate shades are safer.
Build a UI with slate grey
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #708090 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Slate Grey · History and definition of slate grey.
- 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 slate grey?
The hex code for slate grey used on this page is #708090. In RGB that is rgb(112, 128, 144), and in HSL it is hsl(210, 13%, 50%).
What colors go well with slate grey?
Slate Grey pairs well with #2F3A45, #F2F4F6, #C9D1D9 (the Quarry palette above). Its complementary color is #908070, and analogous colors are #709090 and #707090.
Is slate grey a warm or cool color?
Slate Grey is a cool color. Its hue sits at 210 degrees on the color wheel with 13% saturation.
Can I use slate grey for text?
Slate Grey has a contrast ratio of 4.05:1 against white and 5.18:1 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 slate grey mean?
Greys and charcoals feel professional, technical and serious. Blue-tinted greys feel cool and modern; warm greys feel softer. Slate Grey in particular is used for saas dashboards and corporate websites.
How do I use slate grey in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#708090] 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-slate-grey-500 and text-slate-grey-900.
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