# #281c5a

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

## Values

- Hex: `#281c5a`
- RGB: rgb(40, 28, 90)
- HSL: hsl(252, 53%, 23%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.283 0.106 286.4)
- Relative luminance: 0.0202
- Nearest named color: Fabric of Space (#341758, Δ 2.614) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/fabric-of-space
- Moods: cool, dark, luxury, bold, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/281c5a

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #362579, #422e94, #5037b3, #6148c7, #7c67d0, #9382d9, #aea1e2, #c6bdeb, #e1dcf4, #f8f7fd
- Shades (toward black): #251952, #21174a, #1e1442, #1a123b, #181137, #150e2f, #110c27, #0e0a1f, #0a0717, #070510

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #4d5a1c
- Analogous: #1c2e5a, #471c5a
- Triadic: #5a281c, #1c5a28
- Split-complementary: #5a471c, #2e5a1c
- Tetradic: #5a1c2e, #4d5a1c, #1c5a47

## Colors that go with #281c5a

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 #281c5a: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com), CeraVe (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cerave-com), Microsoft (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/microsoft-com), Volkswagen (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/vw-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Sea Green** #2e8b57 [harmony, pool: split] — Sea Green is a split-complement of #281c5a: 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), Paramount+ (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/paramountplus-com), Wellness (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#wellness). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/seagreen
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Steel Blue is #281c5a'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), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com), Fintech Trust (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#fintech-trust), Deep Water (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#deep-water). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Teal completes a triad with #281c5a — 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 #281c5a in 6 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] — 12 real palettes, including Sketch's brand system and Monzo's brand system put Blue beside #281c5a, 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), Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Burlywood** #deb887 [pool] — Burlywood is paired with #281c5a in 4 real palettes, including Coastal and Polaroid, as the accent. Seen in: Coastal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#coastal), Polaroid (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#polaroid), Kiln (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#kiln), Chalkboard (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#chalkboard). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/burlywood
- **Cadet Blue** #5f9ea0 [pool] — Designers have shipped Cadet Blue with #281c5a: 8 real palettes, including SoFi's brand system and Open House, as the supporting colour. Seen in: SoFi (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sofi-com), Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), Coastal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#coastal), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cadetblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 14.96:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.4:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #7c67d0 (4.71:1); AA: background → #8f8f8f (4.63:1); AAA: text → #9a8adb (7.03:1); AAA: background → #b3b3b3 (7.13:1)

## 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/281c5a-a99cc4-dfb64e-281f2d-e9ecf1?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: "#281c5a" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.
