# #b4b8ca

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

## Values

- Hex: `#b4b8ca`
- RGB: rgb(180, 184, 202)
- HSL: hsl(229, 17%, 75%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.785 0.026 275.8)
- Relative luminance: 0.4825
- Nearest named color: Ethereal Mist (#b0b8cc, Δ 0.588) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/ethereal-mist
- Moods: cool, muted, light, minimal, clean
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/b4b8ca

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #babece, #c3c7d5, #c9ccd9, #cfd2dd, #d8dae3, #dee0e8, #e4e6ec, #eaebf0, #f3f4f7, #f9f9fb
- Shades (toward black): #a0a5bb, #8b91ac, #767d9e, #636b8c, #555b77, #44495f, #35394b, #262936, #171921, #08090c

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #cac6b4
- Analogous: #b4c3ca, #bbb4ca
- Triadic: #cab4b8, #b8cab4
- Split-complementary: #cabbb4, #c3cab4
- Tetradic: #cab4c3, #cac6b4, #b4cabb

## Colors that go with #b4b8ca

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 #b4b8ca without the hard edge of pure #000. Seen in: Dusty Blue (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusty-blue), Harbour (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#harbour), Mercury (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mercury-com), Coastal (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#coastal). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Copper** #b87333 [pool] — Designers have shipped Copper with #b4b8ca: 5 real palettes, including Clean Beauty and Desert Road, as the accent. Seen in: Clean Beauty (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#clean-beauty), Desert Road (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#desert-road), Riverbed (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#riverbed), Bramble (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#bramble). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Crimson** #dc143c [pool] — Crimson is paired with #b4b8ca in 5 real palettes, including Cartier's brand system and Frost & Ember, as the accent. Seen in: Cartier (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cartier-com), Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember), Casper Sleep (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/casper-com), Tiffany & Co. (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/tiffany-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [pool] — Designers have shipped Deep Sky Blue with #b4b8ca: 5 real palettes, including Max's brand system and Calm's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Max (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/max-com), Calm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/calm-com), Calendly (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/calendly-com), Mistral AI (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mistral-ai). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepskyblue
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #b4b8ca: 6 real palettes, including Open House and Victoria's Secret's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house), Victoria's Secret (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/victoriassecret-com), Fitbit (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/fitbit-com), Nikon (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nikon-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Midnight Blue** #191970 [pool] — 9 real palettes, including Lavender Milk and First Snow put Midnight Blue beside #b4b8ca, as the text colour against it. Seen in: Lavender Milk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#lavender-milk), First Snow (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#first-snow), Telehealth (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/modern#telehealth), Open House (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/clean#open-house). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/midnightblue
- **Peru** #cd853f [pool] — 4 real palettes, including Estate and Paper & Pine put Peru beside #b4b8ca, as the lead colour. Seen in: Estate (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/luxury#estate), Paper & Pine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#paper-and-pine), Kiln (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#kiln), Coffee Bar (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#coffee-bar). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/peru
- **Powder Blue** #b0e0e6 [pool] — Designers have shipped Powder Blue with #b4b8ca: 5 real palettes, including Crypto.com's brand system and First Snow, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Crypto.com (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crypto-com), First Snow (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#first-snow), Stone (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/neutral#stone), Steam (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/steampowered-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/powderblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 1.97:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #6d7597 (4.52:1); AA: background → #474747 (4.71:1); AAA: text → #505671 (7.21:1); AAA: background → #2b2b2b (7.18:1)
- On black (#000000): 10.65:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Midnight Luxe** (luxury, dark, elegant) — #cbb26a, #8b83a8, #b8b8c8, #0a0a12, #efe9dd — Champagne gold on ink-navy with a violet undertone — hotels and spirits use it because it reads expensive at any size. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/cbb26a-8b83a8-b8b8c8-0a0a12-efe9dd — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/luxury

## 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/b4b8ca-9c9fc4-df7e4e-231f2d-e9eef1?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: "#b4b8ca" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.
