Color #BD142D Color / Colour Code #BD142D
This page shows the hex color code for color #bd142d (#BD142D). The colour is a red tone with 81% saturation and 41% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #BD142D against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#BD142D paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 321, 351, and 21 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 351, 111, and 231 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #BD142D
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 351 and saturation at 81%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 351 to 36 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 351 with its complement at 171 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 #BD142D
Lightness variations at hue 351 and 81% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #BD142D
Design Use Cases for #BD142D
Vibrant Brand Color
#BD142D has a strong 81% 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 41% lightness, #BD142D 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
#BD142D falls in the red spectrum (hue 351). 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 #BD142D (hue 351) to its complement at hue 171. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 21. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #bd142d, #14bda4);
CSS Code for #BD142D
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #BD142D based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #BD142D across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #BD142D (#BD142D)
#BD142D is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 189 red, 20 green, and 45 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 9.4:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 351 degrees with 81% saturation and 41% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #BD142D is 73/255 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, 89% magenta, 76% yellow, and 26% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #BD142D against white is 6.36:1 and against black is 3.30:1. 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 #14BDA4 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #BD142D. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #BD1482 and #BD4F14, 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 #BD142D
- 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 #BD142D?
- #BD142D is Color #BD142D, a red color (colour) with RGB(189, 20, 45), HSL(351, 81%, 41%), and CMYK(0%, 89%, 76%, 26%). Its perceived brightness is 73/255.
- Is #BD142D accessible for text?
- Against white, #BD142D has a contrast ratio of 6.36:1 (passes AA for normal text). Against black, it has 3.30:1 (fails AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #BD142D?
- The complementary colour is #14BDA4 (hue 171). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #BD1482 and #BD4F14. The triadic palette adds #2DBD14 and #142DBD for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #BD142D in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #bd142d; or rgb(189, 20, 45); or hsl(351, 81%, 41%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 351 81% 41%; 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.