Color #D78F42 Color / Colour Code #D78F42
This page shows the hex color code for color #d78f42 (#D78F42). The colour is a orange tone with 65% saturation and 55% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #D78F42 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#D78F42 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 1, 31, and 61 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 31, 151, and 271 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #D78F42
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 31 and saturation at 65%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 31 to 76 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 31 with its complement at 211 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 #D78F42
Lightness variations at hue 31 and 65% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #D78F42
Design Use Cases for #D78F42
Vibrant Brand Color
#D78F42 has a strong 65% 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.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 55% lightness, #D78F42 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.
Warmth & Enthusiasm
#D78F42 sits in the orange range (hue 31). Orange combines the energy of red with the warmth of yellow. It works naturally for progress indicators, pricing highlights, "new" badges, and friendly call-to-action buttons. Food and fitness brands frequently use this hue range.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #D78F42 (hue 31) to its complement at hue 211. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 61. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #d78f42, #428ad7);
CSS Code for #D78F42
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #D78F42 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #D78F42 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #D78F42 (#D78F42)
#D78F42 is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 215 red, 143 green, and 66 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.3:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 31 degrees with 65% saturation and 55% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #D78F42 is 156/255 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 0% cyan, 33% magenta, 69% yellow, and 16% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #D78F42 against white is 2.66:1 and against black is 7.90:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 7.90:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #428AD7 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #D78F42. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #D74442 and #D4D742, 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 #D78F42
- 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 #D78F42?
- #D78F42 is Color #D78F42, a orange color (colour) with RGB(215, 143, 66), HSL(31, 65%, 55%), and CMYK(0%, 33%, 69%, 16%). Its perceived brightness is 156/255.
- Is #D78F42 accessible for text?
- Against white, #D78F42 has a contrast ratio of 2.66:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 7.90:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #D78F42?
- The complementary colour is #428AD7 (hue 211). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #D74442 and #D4D742. The triadic palette adds #42D78F and #8F42D7 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #D78F42 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #d78f42; or rgb(215, 143, 66); or hsl(31, 65%, 55%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 31 65% 55%; 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.