Deep Espresso Wharf
Deep Espresso Wharf: a dark split complementary palette of #197487, #135979, #5F232E, #3B2A14, #011E22. Deep, dramatic and immersive; best contrast 3.21:1.
A balanced palette of 5 colors drawing on blue, red, brown, 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
- ≈ Waterworld#197487
A medium, moderately saturated blue (Waterworld) that brings trust and steadiness. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Blue-Collar#135979
A dark, moderately saturated blue (Blue-Collar) that brings quiet confidence. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Jazz#5F232E
A dark, moderately saturated red (Jazz) that brings a bold, confident accent. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Secret Passage#3B2A14
A dark, muted brown (Secret Passage) that brings natural comfort. White text sits comfortably on it.
- ≈ Oxford by Night#011E22
A very dark, muted blue (Oxford by Night) that brings quiet confidence. White text sits comfortably on it.
Tags
Psychology
Meaning
Applications
Similar palettes
Accessibility
- On white17.35:1Excellent 5/5
- On black3.88:1Fair 2/5
- Color blind friendly93% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ Teal | Text | #197487 | 52% |
| ≈ Slate | Accent | #135979 | 44% |
| ≈ Espresso | Primary | #5F232E | 35% |
| ≈ Espresso | Surface | #3B2A14 | 30% |
| ≈ Ink | Background | #011E22 | 22% |
No palette color is readable as text on the background, so use #DDF7FE for text.
:root {
--color-background: #011e22;
--color-surface: #3b2a14;
--color-primary: #5f232e;
--color-accent: #135979;
--color-text: #ddf7fe;
}
@theme {
--color-background: #011e22;
--color-surface: #3b2a14;
--color-primary: #5f232e;
--color-accent: #135979;
--color-ink: #ddf7fe;
}
About this palette
Deep Espresso Wharf is palette number 3,107 of Tintly's fifteen million generated palettes. It is a dark palette built on a split complementary scheme, and it is anchored by Espresso (#5F232E), the most saturated of its five colors.
The palette reads as deep, dramatic and immersive. Its colors run from Teal (#197487) at the light end to Ink (#011E22) at the dark end, covering 22% to 52% perceptual lightness, so it has real range rather than five similar tones.
The five colors
1. ≈ Teal #197487: suggested role text. It is a cyan color with 52% lightness and a chroma of 0.085.
2. ≈ Slate #135979: suggested role accent. It is a cyan color with 44% lightness and a chroma of 0.084.
3. ≈ Espresso #5F232E: suggested role primary. It is a rose color with 35% lightness and a chroma of 0.088.
4. ≈ Espresso #3B2A14: suggested role surface. It is a orange color with 30% lightness and a chroma of 0.043.
5. ≈ Ink #011E22: suggested role background. It is a cyan color with 22% lightness and a chroma of 0.036.
Harmony and structure
One hue is paired with the two hues flanking its opposite. You keep most of the energy of a complementary scheme with less tension and more variety.
In this palette the hues fall in the cyan, rose and orange families, spread across 222 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 0.067 makes the saturation balanced.
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 Teal (#197487) with Ink (#011E22) 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 (#011E22), so this page suggests #DDF7FE for text, a lightened Teal that reaches 15.54:1. Check any pair you use in the contrast checker.
Under protanopia (reduced red sensitivity), #5F232E and #3B2A14 may look alike, so avoid using that difference alone to carry meaning.
How to use it
Suggested roles: #011E22 as the background, #3B2A14 for cards and surfaces, #5F232E as the primary brand color, #135979 as the accent, and #DDF7FE 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.
Use the lone hue as the dominant brand color and the two flanking hues as secondary and accent colors.
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 Deep Espresso Wharf accessible?
Its best pair reaches 3.21:1 (#197487 on #011E22). 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 (#5F232E) 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.