Color #AE262B Color / Colour Code #AE262B
This page shows the hex color code for color #ae262b (#AE262B). The colour is a red tone with 64% saturation and 42% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #AE262B against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#AE262B paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 328, 358, and 28 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 358, 118, and 238 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #AE262B
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 358 and saturation at 64%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 358 to 43 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 358 with its complement at 178 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 #AE262B
Lightness variations at hue 358 and 64% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #AE262B
Design Use Cases for #AE262B
Vibrant Brand Color
#AE262B has a strong 64% saturation that makes it ideal for brand identity elements. Use it for logos, primary call-to-action buttons, hero section accents, and marketing materials where visual impact matters. This saturation level is eye-catching without being harsh.
Primary Interface Color
At 42% lightness, #AE262B is in the mid-range, making it ideal for interactive elements like buttons, links, and selected states. This lightness level ensures good contrast against both light and dark adjacent elements in most layouts.
Urgency & Energy Signaling
#AE262B falls in the red spectrum (hue 358). Red triggers urgency and excitement, making it effective for sale badges, countdown timers, error messages, and "limited time" labels. In data visualization, use it to flag negative values or critical thresholds.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #AE262B (hue 358) to its complement at hue 178. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 28. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ae262b, #27b0ab);
CSS Code for #AE262B
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #AE262B based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #AE262B across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #AE262B (#AE262B)
#AE262B is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 174 red, 38 green, and 43 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 4.6:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 358 degrees with 64% saturation and 42% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #AE262B is 79/255 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 0% cyan, 78% magenta, 75% yellow, and 32% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #AE262B against white is 6.75:1 and against black is 3.11:1. This meets the AA requirement (4.5:1) for normal text on white. For AAA compliance, consider darkening to at least 29% lightness.
The complementary colour #27B0AB creates maximum visual tension when paired with #AE262B. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #B02770 and #B06727, 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 #AE262B
- 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 #AE262B?
- #AE262B is Color #AE262B, a red color (colour) with RGB(174, 38, 43), HSL(358, 64%, 42%), and CMYK(0%, 78%, 75%, 32%). Its perceived brightness is 79/255.
- Is #AE262B accessible for text?
- Against white, #AE262B has a contrast ratio of 6.75:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 3.11:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #AE262B?
- The complementary colour is #27B0AB (hue 178). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #B02770 and #B06727. The triadic palette adds #2BB027 and #272BB0 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #AE262B in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #ae262b; or rgb(174, 38, 43); or hsl(358, 64%, 42%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 358 64% 42%; 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.