# #281b50

A color — cool, dark, luxury, bold, modern. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#281b50`
- RGB: rgb(40, 27, 80)
- HSL: hsl(255, 50%, 21%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.272 0.093 290.1)
- Relative luminance: 0.0181
- Nearest named color: Azulado (#211d49, Δ 1.908) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/azulado
- Moods: cool, dark, luxury, bold, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/281b50

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #37256f, #452e8a, #5438a8, #6647c2, #8066cc, #9681d5, #af9fdf, #c9bee9, #dfd9f2, #f9f7fc
- Shades (toward black): #241849, #221745, #1f143d, #1b1236, #191132, #150e2a, #110b22, #0d091b, #0b0817, #08050f

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #43501b
- Analogous: #1b2850, #431b50
- Triadic: #50281b, #1b5028
- Split-complementary: #50431b, #28501b
- Tetradic: #501b28, #43501b, #1b5043

## Colors that go with #281b50

Named partners (harmony on the OKLCH wheel, co-occurrence in curated palettes and brand systems, and the neutrals that carry it), best first:

- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the text near-black for #281b50: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Microsoft (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/microsoft-com), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com), Volkswagen (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/vw-com), Tide Pool (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#tide-pool). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Dark Olive Green** #556b2f [harmony, pool: complementary] — Dark Olive Green sits directly opposite #281b50 on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Cohere (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cohere-com), 7-Eleven (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/7-eleven-com), Warp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warp-dev), Oatmeal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#oatmeal). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/darkolivegreen
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Royal Blue is #281b50's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Telehealth (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/modern#telehealth), GEICO (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/geico-com), Spectrum (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/spectrum-com), Penpot (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/penpot-app). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Sea Green** #2e8b57 [harmony, pool: split] — Sea Green is a split-complement of #281b50: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Asana (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/asana-com), Subaru (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/subaru-com), Wellness (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#wellness), Paramount+ (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/paramountplus-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/seagreen
- **Sienna** #a0522d [harmony, pool: split] — Sienna is a split-complement of #281b50: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Olive Grove (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#olive-grove), Woodsmoke (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#woodsmoke), BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets), Harvest (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#harvest). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/sienna
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Teal completes a triad with #281b50 — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Lufthansa (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lufthansa-com), Alpine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#alpine), Clinic (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#clinic), Sapphire & Gold (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/luxury#sapphire-and-gold). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/teal
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #281b50 in 8 real palettes, including Southwest Airlines's brand system and Beach Hut, as the accent. Seen in: Southwest Airlines (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/southwest-com), Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Blueprint (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical#blueprint), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 17 real palettes, including Sketch's brand system and Monzo's brand system put Blue beside #281b50, as the accent. Seen in: Sketch (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sketch-com), Monzo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/monzo-com), Penpot (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/penpot-app), Warp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warp-dev). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue

## Contrast (WCAG 2.x, as text)

- On white (#ffffff): 15.41:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.36:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #8066cc (4.69:1); AA: background → #8c8c8c (4.58:1); AAA: text → #9f8cd9 (7.23:1); AAA: background → #b0b0b0 (7.11:1)

## Fonts for this mood

- luxury: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/luxury
- bold: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/bold
- modern: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/modern

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/281b50-ab9cc4-dfbd4e-291f2d-e9ebf1?lock=0&style=vibrant
(Humans lock/regenerate in the tool; the URL is the state — read `lock=` back to see what they kept.)

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets colors endpoint for the same engine:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/colors/mcp
- Tools: `analyze_color` (e.g. `analyze_color({ color: "#281b50" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.