Color #DBDADB Color / Colour Code #DBDADB
This page shows the hex color code for color #dbdadb (#DBDADB). The colour is a purple tone with 1% saturation and 86% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #DBDADB against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#DBDADB paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 270, 300, and 330 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 300, 60, and 180 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #DBDADB
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 300 and saturation at 1%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 300 to 345 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 300 with its complement at 120 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 #DBDADB
Lightness variations at hue 300 and 1% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #DBDADB
Design Use Cases for #DBDADB
Neutral Foundation Color
#DBDADB has almost no saturation (1%), 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.
Near-White Background
At 86% lightness, #DBDADB is very close to white but carries a subtle purple tint. This is perfect for alternating row backgrounds in tables, subtle section differentiation, and adding warmth or coolness to an otherwise stark white design.
Creativity & Premium Positioning
#DBDADB falls in the purple spectrum (hue 300). Purple communicates creativity, wisdom, and luxury. It is effective for premium product highlights, creative portfolio accents, meditation app interfaces, and rewards program branding. Purple occupies a unique space between the energy of red and the calm of blue.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #DBDADB (hue 300) to its complement at hue 120. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 330. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #dbdadb, #dbdcdb);
CSS Code for #DBDADB
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #DBDADB based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #DBDADB across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #DBDADB (#DBDADB)
#DBDADB is a purple color (colour) with RGB channel values of 219 red, 218 green, and 219 blue. The red channel is dominant with a relatively balanced channel distribution. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 300 degrees with 1% saturation and 86% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #DBDADB is 218/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This means it appears bright to the human eye and is best paired with dark text for readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow, and 14% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #DBDADB against white is 1.39:1 and against black is 15.06:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 15.06:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #DBDCDB creates maximum visual tension when paired with #DBDADB. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #DBDBDC and #DCDBDB, 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 #DBDADB
- 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 #DBDADB?
- #DBDADB is Color #DBDADB, a purple color (colour) with RGB(219, 218, 219), HSL(300, 1%, 86%), and CMYK(0%, 0%, 0%, 14%). Its perceived brightness is 218/255.
- Is #DBDADB accessible for text?
- Against white, #DBDADB has a contrast ratio of 1.39:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 15.06:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #DBDADB?
- The complementary colour is #DBDCDB (hue 120). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #DBDBDC and #DCDBDB. The triadic palette adds #DCDCDB and #DBDCDC for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #DBDADB in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #dbdadb; or rgb(219, 218, 219); or hsl(300, 1%, 86%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 300 1% 86%; 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.