# #cd540a

A color — warm, vivid, playful, bold. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#cd540a`
- RGB: rgb(205, 84, 10)
- HSL: hsl(23, 91%, 42%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.595 0.169 44.1)
- Relative luminance: 0.1934
- Nearest named color: Bloodhound (#bb5511, Δ 3.393) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/bloodhound
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/cd540a

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #ea600b, #f46e1a, #f68037, #f79050, #f8a26d, #f9b58a, #fbc4a2, #fcd7c0, #fde6d8, #fff9f5
- Shades (toward black): #b94c09, #a64408, #973e07, #843606, #702e05, #5d2604, #491e03, #3a1803, #271002, #130801

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #0a82cd
- Analogous: #cd0a20, #cdb60a
- Triadic: #0acd54, #540acd
- Split-complementary: #0acdb6, #0a20cd
- Tetradic: #20cd0a, #0a82cd, #b60acd

## Colors that go with #cd540a

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 body-text near-black for #cd540a: its slight blue cast keeps type crisp beside a warm colour where pure #000 looks heavy. Seen in: IHG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ihg-com), Codecademy (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/codecademy-com), Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember), Harbour (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#harbour). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: split] — Royal Blue is a split-complement of #cd540a: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Wayfair (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wayfair-com), Zed (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/zed-dev), Foot Locker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/footlocker-com), Roblox (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/roblox-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Sea Green** #2e8b57 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Sea Green completes a triad with #cd540a — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Wellness (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#wellness), Coinbase (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase), Netflix (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/netflix), Five Guys (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/fiveguys-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/seagreen
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Steel Blue sits directly opposite #cd540a on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Launch Orange (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#launch-orange), Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop), Substack (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/substack-com), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #cd540a in 7 real palettes, including Trailhead and McDonald's's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Trailhead (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#trailhead), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Google (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/google-com), Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#ember). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 9 real palettes, including Glossier's brand system and Doordash's brand system put Blue beside #cd540a, as the accent. Seen in: Glossier (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/glossier-com), Doordash (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/doordash-com), native Cybersecurity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crowdstrike-com), Tim Hortons (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/timhortons-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cadet Blue** #5f9ea0 [pool] — Designers have shipped Cadet Blue with #cd540a: 4 real palettes, including Clean Beauty and Dusk, as the lead colour. Seen in: Clean Beauty (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#clean-beauty), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk), Diner (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#diner), Alpine (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#alpine). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cadetblue
- **Champagne** #f7e7ce [pool] — 5 real palettes, including BrandSweets's brand system and LG's brand system put Champagne beside #cd540a. Seen in: BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets), LG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lg-com), Bramble (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#bramble), Woodsmoke (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#woodsmoke). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/champagne

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

- On white (#ffffff): 4.31:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #c35009 (4.7:1); AA: background → #0d0d0d (4.51:1); AAA: text → #923c07 (7.31:1)
- On black (#000000): 4.87:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #f46e1a (7.09:1)

## Fonts for this mood

- warm: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/warm
- playful: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/playful
- bold: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/bold

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/cd540a-c4b09c-62cbc0-2d2b1f-f1e9ea?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: "#cd540a" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.
