≈ Cold and Dark

#173F4D is closest to Cold and Dark in our library. Cold and Dark (#173F4D) is a dark, muted blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 196° and a lightness of 35%. Its muted saturation keeps it calm and sophisticated, easy to live with in large areas.

#173F4D≈ Cold and Dark

Conversion

About this color

What Cold and Dark looks like, feels like and where it works.

Description

Cold and Dark (#173F4D) is a dark, muted blue with a cool feel. It has a hue angle of 196° and a lightness of 35%. Its muted saturation keeps it calm and sophisticated, easy to live with in large areas.

Psychology

Blue is the most widely liked color and the default for trust. It lowers the sense of urgency, so it suits products that ask for confidence: money, health and software. As a dark shade, Cold and Dark feels weighty and serious.

Meaning

Blue stands for calm, stability, loyalty and the sky and sea. It is also the color of sadness in English (feeling blue) and, in some cultures, of protection.

Why use this color

Cold and Dark is an easy supporting color. It carries white text well, so it works as a button, header or badge background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.

Applications

Finance, banking and insurance
Technology and software
Healthcare and corporate identity
Links and primary actions in interfaces

History

Egyptian blue, from about 2500 BC, is often called the first synthetic pigment. Ultramarine from lapis lazuli cost as much as gold; Prussian blue (about 1706) made deep blue affordable.

Accessibility

White text on Cold and Dark has a contrast ratio of 11.32:1 (AAA); black text has 1.85:1 (fails). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.