Color #A1B0B0 Color / Colour Code #A1B0B0
This page shows the hex color code for color #a1b0b0 (#A1B0B0). The colour is a cyan tone with 9% saturation and 66% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #A1B0B0 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#A1B0B0 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 150, 180, and 210 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 180, 300, and 60 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #A1B0B0
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 180 and saturation at 9%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 180 to 225 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 180 with its complement at 0 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 #A1B0B0
Lightness variations at hue 180 and 9% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #A1B0B0
Design Use Cases for #A1B0B0
Neutral Foundation Color
#A1B0B0 has almost no saturation (9%), making it an excellent neutral. Use it for page backgrounds, card surfaces, divider lines, and any element that should recede visually. Neutrals like this form the foundation of every professional design system.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 66% lightness, #A1B0B0 has a softer, more approachable quality. It works well for hover states, subtle highlights, progress indicators, and secondary UI elements. This lightness range is particularly effective for tag backgrounds and status indicators.
Clarity & Technology
#A1B0B0 is in the cyan spectrum (hue 180). Cyan evokes technology, clarity, and innovation. It works well for tech product interfaces, data visualization accents, loading indicators, and futuristic design themes. Cyan provides a modern alternative to traditional blues.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #A1B0B0 (hue 180) to its complement at hue 0. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 210. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #a1b0b0, #b0a0a0);
CSS Code for #A1B0B0
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #A1B0B0 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #A1B0B0 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #A1B0B0 (#A1B0B0)
#A1B0B0 is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 161 red, 176 green, and 176 blue. The green channel is dominant with a relatively balanced channel distribution. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 180 degrees with 9% saturation and 66% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #A1B0B0 is 172/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This is a medium-brightness color that can work with either dark or light text depending on font weight and size. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 9% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 31% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #A1B0B0 against white is 2.25:1 and against black is 9.35:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 9.35:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #B0A0A0 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #A1B0B0. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #A0B0A8 and #A0A8B0, 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 #A1B0B0
- 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 #A1B0B0?
- #A1B0B0 is Color #A1B0B0, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(161, 176, 176), HSL(180, 9%, 66%), and CMYK(9%, 0%, 0%, 31%). Its perceived brightness is 172/255.
- Is #A1B0B0 accessible for text?
- Against white, #A1B0B0 has a contrast ratio of 2.25:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 9.35:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #A1B0B0?
- The complementary colour is #B0A0A0 (hue 0). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #A0B0A8 and #A0A8B0. The triadic palette adds #B0A0B0 and #B0B0A0 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #A1B0B0 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #a1b0b0; or rgb(161, 176, 176); or hsl(180, 9%, 66%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 180 9% 66%; 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.