Shadow Espresso Opal
Shadow Espresso Opal: a dark complementary palette of #011C21, #00303A, #61211B, #6B4F46, #30727D. Deep, dramatic and immersive; best contrast 3.21:1.
A balanced palette of 5 colors drawing on teal, blue, red, with a tight lightness range that stays soft and cohesive. Its lightest and darkest colors reach a contrast of 3.21:1, better for large type and decoration. Open any color for its conversions, shades, harmonies and contrast.
Colors
- ≈ Oxford by Night#011C21
A very dark, neutral blue (Oxford by Night) that brings trust and steadiness. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Nordic Noir#00303A
A dark, muted blue (Nordic Noir) that brings quiet confidence. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Bloodlust#61211B
A dark, moderately saturated red (Bloodlust) that brings warmth and energy. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Bigfoot#6B4F46
A medium, muted brown (Bigfoot) that brings craft and reliability. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Ming#30727D
A medium, muted teal (Ming) that brings a coastal freshness. White text sits comfortably on it.
Tags
Psychology
Meaning
Applications
Similar palettes
Accessibility
- On white17.65:1Excellent 5/5
- On black3.82:1Fair 2/5
- Color blind friendly92% similarExcellent 5/5
Contrast is the best any color in the palette reaches on a plain white or black background. Color blind friendly shows how much of the difference between the colors is kept under the common kinds of color blindness.
| Color | Role | HEX | Lightness |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ Ink | Background | #011C21 | 21% |
| ≈ Ink | Accent | #00303A | 28% |
| ≈ Espresso | Primary | #61211B | 34% |
| ≈ Wine | Surface | #6B4F46 | 45% |
| ≈ Teal | Text | #30727D | 51% |
No palette color is readable as text on the background, so use #DAF8FE for text.
:root {
--color-background: #011c21;
--color-surface: #6b4f46;
--color-primary: #61211b;
--color-accent: #00303a;
--color-text: #daf8fe;
}
@theme {
--color-background: #011c21;
--color-surface: #6b4f46;
--color-primary: #61211b;
--color-accent: #00303a;
--color-ink: #daf8fe;
}
About this palette
Shadow Espresso Opal is palette number 1,475 of Tintly's fifteen million generated palettes. It is a dark palette built on a complementary scheme, and it is anchored by Espresso (#61211B), the most saturated of its five colors.
The palette reads as deep, dramatic and immersive. Its colors run from Teal (#30727D) at the light end to Ink (#011C21) at the dark end, covering 21% to 51% perceptual lightness, so it has real range rather than five similar tones.
The five colors
1. ≈ Ink #011C21: suggested role background. It is a cyan color with 21% lightness and a chroma of 0.035.
2. ≈ Ink #00303A: suggested role accent. It is a cyan color with 28% lightness and a chroma of 0.051.
3. ≈ Espresso #61211B: suggested role primary. It is a red color with 34% lightness and a chroma of 0.094.
4. ≈ Wine #6B4F46: suggested role surface. It is a red color with 45% lightness and a chroma of 0.041.
5. ≈ Teal #30727D: suggested role text. It is a cyan color with 51% lightness and a chroma of 0.068.
Harmony and structure
Two hues sit opposite each other on the wheel, each with a close companion. Complementary palettes have built-in tension: the opposite hues make each other look more vivid.
In this palette the hues fall in the cyan and red families, spread across 188 degrees of the OKLCH hue circle. Dark palettes keep chroma between 0.04 and 0.14, and lightness between 20% and 52%, which is why the set feels consistent.
Temperature and mood
Overall the palette is temperature-balanced: 2 of its 5 chromatic colors lean warm and 3 lean cool. Its average chroma of 0.058 makes the saturation soft.
That combination suits dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps and luxury packaging, and it is a good fit when you want a design to feel deep, dramatic and immersive.
Accessibility and contrast
The strongest pairing is Ink (#011C21) with Teal (#30727D) at a contrast ratio of 3.21:1, which is WCAG AA large. Across all 10 possible pairs, 0 reach the 4.5:1 AA level for normal text and 1 more reach 3:1 for large text.
No other palette color reaches 4.5:1 on the background (#011C21), so this page suggests #DAF8FE for text, a lightened Teal that reaches 15.83:1. Check any pair you use in the contrast checker.
All five colors stay distinguishable under protanopia, deuteranopia and tritanopia simulations, which is a good sign, although it is no substitute for testing with real users.
How to use it
Suggested roles: #011C21 as the background, #6B4F46 for cards and surfaces, #61211B as the primary brand color, #00303A as the accent, and #DAF8FE for text (a computed lighter shade of Teal, because no palette color is readable on that background). A reliable starting split is 60% background and surface, 30% primary and 10% accent.
Give one side of the wheel to the background and structure and the other to calls to action. A small amount of the opposing hue goes a long way.
Typical uses for a dark palette include dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps, luxury packaging and cinematic presentations. Open it in the generator to lock the colors you love and reroll the rest, or in the visualizer to see it on real layouts.
More palettes like this
Frequently asked questions
Is Shadow Espresso Opal accessible?
Its best pair reaches 3.21:1 (#011C21 on #30727D). 0 of 10 pairs reach WCAG AA for normal text. Always check the exact text and background you use.
Which color should be the main brand color?
Espresso (#61211B) is the most saturated color that is neither the lightest nor the darkest, which makes it the natural primary.
What is this palette good for?
It suits dark-mode interfaces, gaming and music apps, luxury packaging and cinematic presentations, where a deep, dramatic and immersive feel works well.