# #281c40

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

## Values

- Hex: `#281c40`
- RGB: rgb(40, 28, 64)
- HSL: hsl(260, 39%, 18%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.261 0.066 297)
- Relative luminance: 0.0165
- Nearest named color: Midnight Velvet (#2a2243, Δ 1.896) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnight-velvet
- Moods: cool, dark, luxury, bold, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/281c40

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #3a285c, #4b3579, #5d4195, #6f4eb1, #866abe, #9d86ca, #b4a3d7, #cbbfe3, #e2dcef, #f9f8fc
- Shades (toward black): #261a3c, #211735, #1f1632, #1b132b, #181127, #161023, #120c1c, #100b19, #0b0812, #09060e

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #34401c
- Analogous: #1c2240, #3a1c40
- Triadic: #40281c, #1c4028
- Split-complementary: #403a1c, #22401c
- Tetradic: #401c22, #34401c, #1c403a

## Colors that go with #281c40

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 #281c40: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Volkswagen (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/vw-com), Microsoft (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/microsoft-com), Tide Pool (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#tide-pool), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Dark Olive Green** #556b2f [harmony, pool: complementary] — Dark Olive Green sits directly opposite #281c40 on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: 7-Eleven (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/7-eleven-com), Cohere (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cohere-com), Warp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warp-dev), Oatmeal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#oatmeal). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/darkolivegreen
- **Sea Green** #2e8b57 [harmony, pool: split] — Sea Green is a split-complement of #281c40: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Subaru (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/subaru-com), Asana (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/asana-com), Wellness (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#wellness), Mushroom (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#mushroom). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/seagreen
- **Sienna** #a0522d [harmony, pool: triadic] — Sienna completes a triad with #281c40 — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Woodsmoke (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#woodsmoke), Olive Grove (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#olive-grove), BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets), Harvest (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#harvest). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/sienna
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Steel Blue is #281c40's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Discover (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/discover-com), Fintech Trust (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#fintech-trust), Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Teal completes a triad with #281c40 — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Alpine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#alpine), Clinic (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#clinic), Lufthansa (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lufthansa-com), Sapphire & Gold (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/luxury#sapphire-and-gold). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/teal
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #281c40 in 18 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), Wikipedia (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wikipedia-org). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 20 real palettes, including Sketch's brand system and Monzo's brand system put Blue beside #281c40, as the accent. Seen in: Sketch (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sketch-com), Monzo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/monzo-com), Warp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warp-dev), Rolex (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/rolex-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 15.79:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.33:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #8367bc (4.63:1); AA: background → #8a8a8a (4.57:1); AAA: text → #a08acc (7:1); AAA: background → #adadad (7.03:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Sketch** — primary #2c203b (Δ 1.942) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sketch-com

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Lavender Haze** (playful, cool, light) — #8b5cf6, #c4b5fd, #f472b6, #faf7ff, #2e1f47 — Violet and pink on lilac-white: Gen-Z friendly, while the deep plum text keeps it legible. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/8b5cf6-c4b5fd-f472b6-faf7ff-2e1f47 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful

## 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/281c40-ae9cc4-dfc94e-2a1f2d-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: "#281c40" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.