# #a8a9bd

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

## Values

- Hex: `#a8a9bd`
- RGB: rgb(168, 169, 189)
- HSL: hsl(237, 14%, 70%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.74 0.029 283.4)
- Relative luminance: 0.4037
- Nearest named color: Foggy Plum (#b7a5ad, Δ 2.861) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/foggy-plum
- Moods: cool, muted, light, minimal, clean
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/a8a9bd

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #b1b1c4, #b9baca, #bfc0cf, #c8c8d5, #d0d1dc, #d9dae2, #e2e2e9, #e8e8ed, #f0f1f4, #f9f9fb
- Shades (toward black): #9395ae, #8284a1, #6e6f91, #606280, #51526c, #424357, #353546, #252631, #181920, #09090c

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #bdbca8
- Analogous: #a8b4bd, #b1a8bd
- Triadic: #bda8a9, #a9bda8
- Split-complementary: #bdb1a8, #b4bda8
- Tetradic: #bda8b4, #bdbca8, #a8bdb1

## Colors that go with #a8a9bd

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 #a8a9bd without the hard edge of pure #000. Seen in: Mercury (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mercury-com), Harbour (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#harbour), Paper & Pine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#paper-and-pine), Dusty Blue (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusty-blue). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 5 real palettes, including Uber's brand system and Lexus's brand system put Blue beside #a8a9bd, as the accent. Seen in: Uber (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/uber-com), Lexus (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lexus-com), Canva (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/canva-com), Spotify (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/spotify). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Blush Pink** #e8b4b8 [pool] — 4 real palettes, including Estate and Garden Wedding put Blush Pink beside #a8a9bd, as the accent. Seen in: Estate (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/luxury#estate), Garden Wedding (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#garden-wedding), Rain Garden (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#rain-garden), Blush (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#blush). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blush-pink
- **Burlywood** #deb887 [pool] — Burlywood is paired with #a8a9bd in 4 real palettes, including Polaroid and Chalkboard, as the accent. Seen in: Polaroid (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#polaroid), Chalkboard (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#chalkboard), Coastal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#coastal), Kiln (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#kiln). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/burlywood
- **Copper** #b87333 [pool] — Designers have shipped Copper with #a8a9bd: 6 real palettes, including Riverbed and Clean Beauty, as the accent. Seen in: Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed), Clean Beauty (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#clean-beauty), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Desert Road (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#desert-road). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Dodger Blue** #1e90ff [pool] — Designers have shipped Dodger Blue with #a8a9bd: 4 real palettes, including Opensea's brand system and Patreon's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Opensea (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/opensea-io), Patreon (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/patreon-com), Spline (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/spline-design), Studio Grey (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#studio-grey). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/dodgerblue
- **Hunter Green** #355e3b [pool] — Hunter Green is paired with #a8a9bd in 4 real palettes, including Pine & Birch and Canopy, as the lead colour. Seen in: Pine & Birch (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#pine-and-birch), Canopy (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#canopy), Desert Road (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#desert-road), Darkroom (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#darkroom). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/hunter-green
- **Midnight Blue** #191970 [pool] — 6 real palettes, including First Snow and Open House put Midnight Blue beside #a8a9bd, as the text colour against it. Seen in: First Snow (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#first-snow), Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), Lavender Milk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#lavender-milk), Telehealth (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/modern#telehealth). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnightblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 2.31:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #717294 (4.63:1); AA: background → #3d3d3d (4.69:1); AAA: text → #565771 (7.01:1); AAA: background → #1f1f1f (7.12:1)
- On black (#000000): 9.07:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass

## Brands using this color

- **Crypto.com** — accent #a0a9be (Δ 1.096) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crypto-com

## Fonts for this mood

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

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/a8a9bd-9f9cc4-df924e-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: "#a8a9bd" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.
