Cream Color / Colour Code #ECF0DB
This page shows the hex color code for cream (#ECF0DB). The colour is a yellow tone with 41% saturation and 90% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #ECF0DB against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#ECF0DB paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 41, 71, and 101 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 71, 191, and 311 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #ECF0DB
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 71 and saturation at 41%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 71 to 116 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 71 with its complement at 251 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 #ECF0DB
Lightness variations at hue 71 and 41% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #ECF0DB
Design Use Cases for #ECF0DB
Balanced UI Color
At 41% saturation, #ECF0DB strikes a balance between vibrancy and restraint. This makes it versatile for primary UI elements like navigation bars, card headers, and form accents. It draws attention without overwhelming adjacent content.
Near-White Background
At 90% lightness, #ECF0DB is very close to white but carries a subtle yellow tint. This is perfect for alternating row backgrounds in tables, subtle section differentiation, and adding warmth or coolness to an otherwise stark white design.
Attention & Optimism
#ECF0DB is in the yellow spectrum (hue 71). Yellow attracts attention faster than any other color. Use it for warning labels, featured content markers, star ratings, and tooltip backgrounds. Pair with dark text since yellow often fails contrast checks against white.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #ECF0DB (hue 71) to its complement at hue 251. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 101. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ecf0db, #dfdbf0);
CSS Code for #ECF0DB
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #ECF0DB based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #ECF0DB across image editing and color design tools.
About Cream (#ECF0DB)
#ECF0DB is a yellow color (colour) with RGB channel values of 236 red, 240 green, and 219 blue. The green channel is dominant with a relatively balanced channel distribution. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 71 degrees with 41% saturation and 90% lightness, placing it in the neutral-to-cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #ECF0DB is 236/255 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 2% cyan, 0% magenta, 9% yellow, and 6% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #ECF0DB against white is 1.16:1 and against black is 18.05:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 18.05:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #DFDBF0 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #ECF0DB. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #F0E9DB and #E2F0DB, 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 #ECF0DB
- 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 #ECF0DB?
- #ECF0DB is Cream, a yellow color (colour) with RGB(236, 240, 219), HSL(71, 41%, 90%), and CMYK(2%, 0%, 9%, 6%). Its perceived brightness is 236/255.
- Is #ECF0DB accessible for text?
- Against white, #ECF0DB has a contrast ratio of 1.16:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 18.05:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #ECF0DB?
- The complementary colour is #DFDBF0 (hue 251). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #F0E9DB and #E2F0DB. The triadic palette adds #DBECF0 and #F0DBEC for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #ECF0DB in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #ecf0db; or rgb(236, 240, 219); or hsl(71, 41%, 90%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 71 41% 90%; 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.