Iron
Iron (#5E5E5E) is a medium, neutral gray with a true neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 0° and a lightness of 48%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.
About this color
What Iron looks like, feels like and where it works.
Description
Iron (#5E5E5E) is a medium, neutral gray with a true neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 0° and a lightness of 48%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.
Psychology
Gray is neutral and composed. It recedes, which is why it is the workhorse of interfaces: borders, secondary text and surfaces that let accents stand out. As a mid-toned shade, Iron sits comfortably in the middle: present but not heavy.
Meaning
Gray suggests balance, restraint and professionalism, and sometimes dullness if nothing else adds life.
Why use this color
Iron is a flexible base. 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
- UI borders, text and surfaces
- Technology and architecture
- Minimal, balanced layouts
- Backdrops for accent colors
History
Gray is one of the oldest color words in English. Payne's gray is named after the eighteenth century watercolorist William Payne.
Accessibility
White text on Iron has a contrast ratio of 6.48:1 (AA); black text has 3.23:1 (fails for body text). 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.
Variations of Iron
Tailwind-style scale
Color harmonies of Iron
Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.
Color blindness simulator
These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.