# #9e9eae

A color — muted, minimal. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#9e9eae`
- RGB: rgb(158, 158, 174)
- HSL: hsl(240, 9%, 65%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.704 0.023 285.8)
- Relative luminance: 0.3478
- Nearest named color: Dusky Mood (#979ba8, Δ 1.531) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/dusky-mood
- Moods: muted, minimal
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/9e9eae

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #a6a6b5, #b1b1be, #babac5, #c2c2cc, #cdcdd5, #d5d5dc, #dedee3, #e6e6ea, #f1f1f3, #f9f9fa
- Shades (toward black): #8d8da0, #7c7c92, #6d6d83, #5f5f72, #515161, #41414e, #33333d, #25252c, #17171c, #09090b

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #aeae9e
- Analogous: #9ea6ae, #a69eae
- Triadic: #ae9e9e, #9eae9e
- Split-complementary: #aea69e, #a6ae9e
- Tetradic: #ae9ea6, #aeae9e, #9eaea6

## Colors that go with #9e9eae

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 that reads cleanly against #9e9eae without the hard edge of pure #000. Seen in: Paper & Pine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#paper-and-pine), Dusty Blue (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusty-blue), Mercury (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mercury-com), Harbour (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#harbour). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Copper** #b87333 [pool] — Designers have shipped Copper with #9e9eae: 8 real palettes, including Dusk and Riverbed, as the accent. Seen in: Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed), Clean Beauty (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#clean-beauty), Atelier (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/elegant#atelier). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #9e9eae: 4 real palettes, including Open House and Dusk, as the lead colour. Seen in: Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Coca-Cola (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coca-cola-com), Guinness (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/guinness-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Hunter Green** #355e3b [pool] — Hunter Green is paired with #9e9eae in 4 real palettes, including Pine & Birch and Darkroom, as the lead colour. Seen in: Pine & Birch (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#pine-and-birch), Darkroom (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#darkroom), Canopy (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#canopy), Desert Road (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#desert-road). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/hunter-green
- **Midnight Blue** #191970 [pool] — 7 real palettes, including Open House and First Snow put Midnight Blue beside #9e9eae, as the text colour against it. Seen in: Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), First Snow (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#first-snow), Lavender Milk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#lavender-milk), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnightblue
- **Powder Blue** #b0e0e6 [pool] — Designers have shipped Powder Blue with #9e9eae: 4 real palettes, including Stone and Crypto.com's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Stone (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#stone), Crypto.com (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crypto-com), First Snow (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#first-snow), Ink Wash (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#ink-wash). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/powderblue
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [pool] — Royal Blue is paired with #9e9eae in 5 real palettes, including Sephora's brand system and Brilliant's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Sephora (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/sephora-com), Brilliant (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brilliant-org), Guinness (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/guinness-com), Confluent (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/confluent-io). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Slate Gray** #708090 [pool] — 6 real palettes, including Graphite and Riverbed put Slate Gray beside #9e9eae, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Graphite (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical#graphite), Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed), Greige (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#greige), Mushroom (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#mushroom). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/slategray

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

- On white (#ffffff): 2.64:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #74748b (4.55:1); AA: background → #363636 (4.58:1); AAA: text → #565667 (7.19:1); AAA: background → #121212 (7.1:1)
- On black (#000000): 7.96:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Graphite** (technical, muted, dark, modern) — #a1a1aa, #71717a, #f59e0b, #18181b, #f4f4f5 — A greyscale system with a single amber — the accent does all the work, so allow one per screen. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/a1a1aa-71717a-f59e0b-18181b-f4f4f5 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/technical

## Fonts for this mood

- minimal: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/minimal

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/9e9eae-a19cc4-df994e-251f2d-e9edf1?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: "#9e9eae" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.