Color #DAA520 Color / Colour Code #DAA520
This page shows the hex color code for color #daa520 (#DAA520). The colour is a orange tone with 74% saturation and 49% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #DAA520 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#DAA520 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 13, 43, and 73 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 43, 163, and 283 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #DAA520
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 43 and saturation at 74%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 43 to 88 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 43 with its complement at 223 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 #DAA520
Lightness variations at hue 43 and 74% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #DAA520
Design Use Cases for #DAA520
Vibrant Brand Color
#DAA520 has a strong 74% 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 49% lightness, #DAA520 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.
Warmth & Enthusiasm
#DAA520 sits in the orange range (hue 43). 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 #DAA520 (hue 43) to its complement at hue 223. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 73. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #daa520, #2055d9);
CSS Code for #DAA520
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #DAA520 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #DAA520 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #DAA520 (#DAA520)
#DAA520 is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 218 red, 165 green, and 32 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 6.8:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 43 degrees with 74% saturation and 49% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #DAA520 is 166/255 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, 24% magenta, 85% yellow, and 15% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #DAA520 against white is 2.24:1 and against black is 9.38:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 9.38:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #2055D9 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #DAA520. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #D94920 and #B1D920, 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 #DAA520
- 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 #DAA520?
- #DAA520 is Color #DAA520, a orange color (colour) with RGB(218, 165, 32), HSL(43, 74%, 49%), and CMYK(0%, 24%, 85%, 15%). Its perceived brightness is 166/255.
- Is #DAA520 accessible for text?
- Against white, #DAA520 has a contrast ratio of 2.24:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 9.38:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #DAA520?
- The complementary colour is #2055D9 (hue 223). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #D94920 and #B1D920. The triadic palette adds #20D9A5 and #A520D9 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #DAA520 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #daa520; or rgb(218, 165, 32); or hsl(43, 74%, 49%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 43 74% 49%; 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.