Color #DE601D Color / Colour Code #DE601D
This page shows the hex color code for color #de601d (#DE601D). The colour is a orange tone with 77% saturation and 49% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #DE601D against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#DE601D paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 351, 21, and 51 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 21, 141, and 261 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #DE601D
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 21 and saturation at 77%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 21 to 66 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 21 with its complement at 201 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 #DE601D
Lightness variations at hue 21 and 77% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #DE601D
Design Use Cases for #DE601D
Vibrant Brand Color
#DE601D has a strong 77% 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, #DE601D 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
#DE601D sits in the orange range (hue 21). 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 #DE601D (hue 21) to its complement at hue 201. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 51. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #de601d, #1d9add);
CSS Code for #DE601D
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #DE601D based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #DE601D across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #DE601D (#DE601D)
#DE601D is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 222 red, 96 green, and 29 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 7.7:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 21 degrees with 77% saturation and 49% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #DE601D is 126/255 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, 57% magenta, 87% yellow, and 13% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #DE601D against white is 3.62:1 and against black is 5.80:1. This only passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. For normal body text on white, darken the color or use it on a dark background where it achieves 5.80:1.
The complementary colour #1D9ADD creates maximum visual tension when paired with #DE601D. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #DD1D3A and #DDC01D, 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 #DE601D
- 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 #DE601D?
- #DE601D is Color #DE601D, a orange color (colour) with RGB(222, 96, 29), HSL(21, 77%, 49%), and CMYK(0%, 57%, 87%, 13%). Its perceived brightness is 126/255.
- Is #DE601D accessible for text?
- Against white, #DE601D has a contrast ratio of 3.62:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 5.80:1 (passes AA). It passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #DE601D?
- The complementary colour is #1D9ADD (hue 201). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #DD1D3A and #DDC01D. The triadic palette adds #1DDD60 and #601DDD for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #DE601D in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #de601d; or rgb(222, 96, 29); or hsl(21, 77%, 49%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 21 77% 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.