Color #173256 Color / Colour Code #173256
This page shows the hex color code for color #173256 (#173256). The colour is a blue tone with 58% saturation and 21% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #173256 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#173256 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 184, 214, and 244 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 214, 334, and 94 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #173256
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 214 and saturation at 58%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 214 to 259 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 214 with its complement at 34 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #173256
Lightness variations at hue 214 and 58% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #173256
Design Use Cases for #173256
Balanced UI Color
At 58% saturation, #173256 strikes a balance between vibrancy and restraint. This makes it versatile for primary UI elements like navigation bars, card headers, and form accents. It draws attention without overwhelming adjacent content.
Deep Accent & Text Color
#173256 at 21% lightness is dark enough for readable body text on light backgrounds while retaining its blue character. Use for headings, emphasized text, or deep accent borders. It provides contrast without the harshness of pure black.
Trust & Professional Identity
#173256 sits in the blue range (hue 214). Blue is the world's most popular color for corporate identities because it conveys trust, stability, and competence. Use it for navigation bars, link text, form focus states, and any element where user confidence matters. Financial, healthcare, and technology brands rely heavily on this hue range.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #173256 (hue 214) to its complement at hue 34. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 244. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #173256, #553a16);
CSS Code for #173256
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #173256 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #173256 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #173256 (#173256)
#173256 is a blue color (colour) with RGB channel values of 23 red, 50 green, and 86 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.7:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 214 degrees with 58% saturation and 21% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #173256 is 46/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This appears dark to the human eye, so pair it with light text for adequate readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 73% cyan, 42% magenta, 0% yellow, and 66% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #173256 against white is 12.91:1 and against black is 1.63:1. This exceeds the AAA requirement (7:1) for normal text on white, making it excellent for body text and small UI labels on light backgrounds.
The complementary colour #553A16 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #173256. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #165055 and #1B1655, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #173256
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #173256?
- #173256 is Color #173256, a blue color (colour) with RGB(23, 50, 86), HSL(214, 58%, 21%), and CMYK(73%, 42%, 0%, 66%). Its perceived brightness is 46/255.
- Is #173256 accessible for text?
- Against white, #173256 has a contrast ratio of 12.91:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 1.63:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #173256?
- The complementary colour is #553A16 (hue 34). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #165055 and #1B1655. The triadic palette adds #551631 and #315516 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #173256 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #173256; or rgb(23, 50, 86); or hsl(214, 58%, 21%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 214 58% 21%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.