Color #FCAE2C Color / Colour Code #FCAE2C
This page shows the hex color code for color #fcae2c (#FCAE2C). The colour is a orange tone with 97% saturation and 58% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #FCAE2C against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#FCAE2C paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 8, 38, and 68 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 38, 158, and 278 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #FCAE2C
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 38 and saturation at 97%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 38 to 83 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 38 with its complement at 218 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 #FCAE2C
Lightness variations at hue 38 and 97% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #FCAE2C
Design Use Cases for #FCAE2C
High-Impact Accent
With 97% saturation, #FCAE2C is highly vivid. Reserve this for elements that need maximum attention: primary action buttons, notification badges, error states, or promotional banners. Use sparingly alongside neutral tones to avoid visual fatigue.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 58% lightness, #FCAE2C 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
#FCAE2C sits in the orange range (hue 38). 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 #FCAE2C (hue 38) to its complement at hue 218. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 68. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #fcae2c, #2c78fc);
CSS Code for #FCAE2C
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #FCAE2C based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #FCAE2C across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #FCAE2C (#FCAE2C)
#FCAE2C is a orange color (colour) with RGB channel values of 252 red, 174 green, and 44 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 5.7:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 38 degrees with 97% saturation and 58% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #FCAE2C is 183/255 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, 31% magenta, 83% yellow, and 1% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #FCAE2C against white is 1.87:1 and against black is 11.23:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 11.23:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #2C78FC creates maximum visual tension when paired with #FCAE2C. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #FC482C and #E0FC2C, 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 #FCAE2C
- 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 #FCAE2C?
- #FCAE2C is Color #FCAE2C, a orange color (colour) with RGB(252, 174, 44), HSL(38, 97%, 58%), and CMYK(0%, 31%, 83%, 1%). Its perceived brightness is 183/255.
- Is #FCAE2C accessible for text?
- Against white, #FCAE2C has a contrast ratio of 1.87:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 11.23:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #FCAE2C?
- The complementary colour is #2C78FC (hue 218). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #FC482C and #E0FC2C. The triadic palette adds #2CFCB0 and #B02CFC for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #FCAE2C in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #fcae2c; or rgb(252, 174, 44); or hsl(38, 97%, 58%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 38 97% 58%; 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.