Color Palettes

Black-Grey-White Color Palette – HEX, RGB & Design Inspiration

Color Details

HEX: #E8E8E8

RGB: 232, 232, 232

HEX: #B7B7B7

RGB: 183, 183, 183

HEX: #8C8C8C

RGB: 140, 140, 140

HEX: #525252

RGB: 82, 82, 82

HEX: #000000

RGB: 0, 0, 0

WCAG Accessibility Checker
Contrast ratios and WCAG compliance for text readability. AAA is enhanced conformance, AA is standard, and 4.5:1 minimum for normal text.

Text on White/Black Backgrounds

#E8E8E8
On White
1.23:1
Fail
On Black
17.14:1
AAA (Enhanced)
#B7B7B7
On White
2.01:1
Fail
On Black
10.47:1
AAA (Enhanced)
#8C8C8C
On White
3.36:1
AA (Large Text)
On Black
6.25:1
AA (Standard)
#525252
On White
7.81:1
AAA (Enhanced)
On Black
2.69:1
Fail
#000000
On White
21:1
AAA (Enhanced)
On Black
1:1
Fail

Color Pair Combinations (10 total)

#E8E8E8 / #000000
17.14:1
AAA (Enhanced)
#B7B7B7 / #000000
10.47:1
AAA (Enhanced)
#E8E8E8 / #525252
6.38:1
AA (Standard)
#8C8C8C / #000000
6.25:1
AA (Standard)
#B7B7B7 / #525252
3.9:1
AA (Large Text)
#E8E8E8 / #8C8C8C
2.74:1
Fail
#525252 / #000000
2.69:1
Fail
#8C8C8C / #525252
2.32:1
Fail
#B7B7B7 / #8C8C8C
1.68:1
Fail
#E8E8E8 / #B7B7B7
1.64:1
Fail

WCAG Contrast Standards:

  • AAA (7:1): Enhanced contrast for maximum readability
  • AA (4.5:1): Minimum for normal text (under 18pt)
  • AA Large (3:1): Acceptable for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold)
  • Fail: Below WCAG standards, not recommended for text
Live UI Preview
See your palette applied to real components with optimized text colors for accessibility
WCAG Guidelines

Recommended Text Colors

Aa
Primary
17.14:1 (AAA)
Aa
Secondary
10.47:1 (AAA)
Aa
Accent
6.25:1 (AA)
Aa
Background
7.81:1 (AAA)
Aa
Neutral
21:1 (AAA)

Buttons

Optimized for readability
Primary: 17.14:1 AAA
Secondary: 10.47:1 AAA
Accent: 6.25:1 AA

Form Elements

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Badges & Tags

PrimarySecondaryAccentNeutralOutline

Alerts & Notifications

Information

This is an informational message using your primary color

Gradient Generator
Create beautiful gradients from your palette colors. Copy the CSS code and use directly in your projects.

Horizontal (Left to Right)

background: linear-gradient(to right, #E8E8E8 0%, #B7B7B7 25%, #8C8C8C 50%, #525252 75%, #000000 100%);

Vertical (Top to Bottom)

background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #E8E8E8 0%, #B7B7B7 25%, #8C8C8C 50%, #525252 75%, #000000 100%);

Diagonal (Top Left to Bottom Right)

background: linear-gradient(to bottom right, #E8E8E8 0%, #B7B7B7 25%, #8C8C8C 50%, #525252 75%, #000000 100%);

Usage Tips:

  • Copy the CSS code and paste directly into your stylesheets
  • Linear gradients work great for backgrounds and hero sections
  • Radial gradients are perfect for spotlights and focus effects
  • Conic gradients create eye-catching loading spinners and progress indicators
  • Smooth transitions ensure seamless color blending
Color Blindness Simulator
See how your palette appears to people with different types of color vision deficiency (CVD). Approximately 8% of males and 0.5% of females have some form of color blindness.

Normal Vision

No color vision deficiency

Color Swatches

#E8E8E8

#B7B7B7

#8C8C8C

#525252

#000000

Full Palette View

How people with Normal Vision see it:

Color Psychology & Brand Analysis
Understand the emotional impact, brand personality, and psychological effects of your color palette

Overall Mood & Feel

Energetic, warm, and inviting

Emotional Impact

Stimulating and energetic, evoking feelings of excitement, warmth, and action. The balanced lightness creates versatility across different contexts

Psychological Effect

This 5-color palette creates a energetic, warm, and inviting. The combination works together to create memorable visual experiences that influence consumer perception, decision-making, and brand recall. The rich variety provides versatility while maintaining cohesive emotional messaging across touchpoints.

Brand Personality Traits

Sophisticated
Professional
Neutral
Stable
Reliable

Perfect For These Industries

Technology
Corporate
Architecture
Fashion

Target Audience

Affluent consumers seeking premium, high-quality products and experiences

Individual Color Psychology

#E8E8E8

Clean and minimal

Emotions Evoked

Purity
Simplicity
Cleanliness
Peace
Innocence

Personality Traits

Clean
Minimal
Pure
Simple
Modern

Brand Traits

Clean
Pure
Simple
Modern
Efficient

Ideal Industries

Healthcare
Technology
Luxury
Minimalist Brands
Weddings

Marketing Use

Creates sense of space and simplicity. Used in minimalist designs, medical fields, and luxury brands. Provides contrast and breathing room.

Cultural Meanings

Western: Purity, innocence, cleanliness, peace, weddings
Eastern: Mourning, death, purity, spirituality
Global: Clean slate, new beginnings, space, simplicity

Color Harmony Analysis

Palette Mood

Light & AiryBalancedDark & Bold

Temperature

Neutral

This palette combines light & airy and balanced and dark & bold moods with neutral tones, making it versatile for various design applications.

Professional Implementation Guide

This monochromatic black-grey-white palette features 5 carefully selected warm tones that create a balanced and versatile aesthetic. With high contrast levels and muted saturation, this palette is optimized for web interfaces and mobile apps.

Web Design & Development

For web development, implement this palette with CSS variables for easy theme switching. The high contrast makes it ideal for accessible interfaces meeting WCAG AA standards.

  • Apply the 60-30-10 rule for visual hierarchy
  • Use accent colors for CTAs and hover states
  • Maintain consistent color usage across all pages
  • Test responsive behavior on multiple devices

Mobile App Interfaces

In mobile applications, these warm tones provide excellent battery efficiency on OLED screens. Use the strong color contrast to define clear touch targets.

  • Design both light and dark mode variants
  • Consider thumb-reach zones for color placement
  • Test under direct sunlight and low light
  • Use color to indicate interactive elements

Brand Identity Systems

Build a cohesive brand identity by designating specific colors for specific purposes. Establish your primary brand color from the most distinctive shade and create comprehensive brand guidelines specifying exact usage scenarios.

  • Define primary, secondary, and accent colors
  • Create usage rules for marketing materials
  • Specify minimum sizes and clear space
  • Document do's and don'ts for consistency

Frontend Development

Developers can integrate this palette efficiently using modern CSS techniques. Export as CSS variables for maximum flexibility, allowing theme switching and dynamic color updates without rewriting stylesheets.

  • Use CSS custom properties for theming
  • Implement semantic color naming conventions
  • Create utility classes for rapid prototyping
  • Consider CSS-in-JS for component-scoped colors

Print Design

For print materials, convert to CMYK using #E8E8E8 as the dominant color for headers and #000000 for accents. These colors translate well to print with minimal adjustment.

  • Add to your design software color library
  • Create swatches for quick color access
  • Use CMYK values for print production
  • Request color proofs before final print

Marketing Campaigns

Marketing materials benefit from consistent color usage that reinforces brand recognition. Apply this palette across email campaigns, landing pages, advertisements, and social media for maximum impact and memorability.

  • Maintain color consistency across channels
  • A/B test color variations for conversion
  • Consider cultural color associations
  • Align colors with campaign messaging

Strategic Color Distribution

Professional designers follow the 60-30-10 rule for balanced color distribution. Here's how to apply this principle with the Black-Grey-White:

60%

Dominant Color

#E8E8E8

Use #E8E8E8 as your primary color for backgrounds, main content areas. This white tone should occupy about 60% of your design space.

30%

Secondary Color

#8C8C8C

Apply #8C8C8C as your secondary color for supporting elements and section dividers. Allocate approximately 30% of your layout to this color.

10%

Accent Color

#000000

Reserve #000000 for accent elements like buttons, links, and important highlights. This black accent should be used sparingly (10% of design) to draw attention to key actions.

Professional Best Practices

Smart Usage Tips

  • Balance warm tones with neutral whites or grays to create visual breathing room
  • Test your palette across different devices and lighting conditions before finalizing

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't use all colors equally—establish clear visual hierarchy through color weight
  • Avoid low-contrast text combinations that strain readability
  • Don't rely solely on color to convey meaning (use icons, text, and patterns too)
  • Avoid inconsistent color usage across different pages or screens
  • Don't assume screen colors match print output—always request physical proofs

Palette Overview & Statistics

5

Total Colors

2

Associated Tags

6

Categories

3535

Community Likes

Color Analysis & Technical Guide

Detailed breakdown of each color's role, characteristics, and optimal applications. This monochromatic palette creates a balanced and versatile aesthetic perfect for web interfaces and mobile apps.

Individual Color Breakdown

Each color in this warm palette has been analyzed for its properties and ideal usage scenarios. The high contrast and muted saturation ensure excellent readability and accessibility.

  • #E8E8E8

    WHITE

    #E8E8E8 serves as the primary/dominant color in this palette. This light white (muted) brings cleanliness and simplicity Use it for backgrounds, containers, and large surface areas.

    Light toneH: 0°S: 0%L: 91%
  • #B7B7B7

    GRAY

    #B7B7B7 serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This light gray (muted) brings neutrality and balance Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.

    Light toneH: 0°S: 0%L: 72%
  • #8C8C8C

    GRAY

    #8C8C8C serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This medium gray (muted) brings neutrality and balance Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.

    Light toneH: 0°S: 0%L: 55%
  • #525252

    GRAY

    #525252 serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This medium gray (muted) brings neutrality and balance Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.

    Dark toneH: 0°S: 0%L: 32%
  • #000000

    BLACK

    #000000 serves as the accent/highlight color in this palette. This dark black (muted) brings elegance and authority Use it for call-to-action buttons, links, important notifications, and interactive elements.

    Dark toneH: 0°S: 0%L: 0%

Palette Characteristics

This palette exhibits distinct characteristics that make it particularly suitable for specific design applications and industries.

Color Temperaturewarm

Warm colors create energy, excitement, and approachability. Perfect for brands targeting emotional connection.

Contrast Levelhigh

High contrast ensures excellent readability and meets WCAG accessibility standards for most text combinations.

Saturationmuted

Muted saturation offers sophistication and reduces visual fatigue, ideal for content-heavy applications.

Brightness Rangebalanced

Balanced brightness provides flexibility for both light and dark design elements.

💡 Pro Tips for This Palette

  • Perfect for: web interfaces, mobile apps. The monochromatic color relationship creates natural visual flow.
  • Mood & Psychology: This palette evokes a balanced and versatile feeling, making it ideal for brands seeking to convey those qualities.
  • Accessibility: Excellent contrast makes this palette naturally accessible. Most color combinations will meet WCAG AA standards.
  • Extensions: Create tints (add white) and shades (add black) to expand this 5-color palette into a comprehensive design system.
  • Cultural Context: Warm colors may have different meanings across cultures—verify associations with your target market.

Export Formats

JSON
CSS Variables
Tailwind Config
SCSS Variables
Android XML

Explore Black-Grey-White Palette

The Black-Grey-White color palette is a masterful blend of soothing and dramatic hues that evoke a sense of balance and sophistication, making it an ideal choice for designers seeking to create a visually striking and emotionally resonant experience. At its core, this palette is a nuanced exploration of the grey scale, with each shade carefully selected to work in harmony with the others, from the lightest hint of E8E8E8 to the deepest, richest tones of 000000. The overall effect is one of calmness and serenity, yet with a bold, modern edge that commands attention and inspires creativity.

Delving deeper into the palette, we find that each color plays a unique and vital role in the overall aesthetic. The lightest shade, E8E8E8, provides a soft, airy background that allows other elements to take center stage, while B7B7B7 adds a touch of warmth and depth to the design. As we move into the mid-tones, 8C8C8C and 525252 emerge, bringing a sense of balance and stability to the palette, with 525252 serving as a versatile anchor that grounds the other colors. Finally, the dramatic, bold tone of 000000 adds a sense of gravity and sophistication, drawing the viewer's eye and creating a lasting impression. Although the palette does not directly incorporate pink or coral hues, it provides a versatile foundation that can be paired with these colors to create a unique and captivating visual identity.

In practical terms, the Black-Grey-White palette is incredibly versatile, lending itself to a wide range of applications, from websites and apps to branding and marketing materials. Its calming, muted tones make it an excellent choice for designs that require a sense of serenity and focus, such as wellness or financial services, while its bold, modern edge also suits more vibrant and dynamic industries, like technology or entertainment. Whether used as a primary color scheme or as an accent palette, these colors are sure to add depth, sophistication, and visual interest to any design, making them a valuable addition to any designer's toolkit.

The psychological impact of the Black-Grey-White palette is also noteworthy, as it has a profound influence on viewer perception and behavior. The predominance of grey tones creates a sense of neutrality and balance, which can help to establish trust and credibility with the audience, while the bold, dark accents add a sense of excitement and energy. Furthermore, the palette's calming, muted quality can help to reduce visual noise and minimize distractions, allowing the viewer to focus on the content and messaging. By carefully leveraging these colors, designers can create a powerful emotional connection with their audience, driving engagement, and ultimately, conversion.

For designers seeking to get the most out of the Black-Grey-White palette, there are several pro tips to keep in mind. To add a touch of warmth and personality to the design, consider pairing these colors with complementary hues like pink or coral, which can create a beautiful, harmonious contrast. When working with the palette, it's also essential to balance the bold, dark accents with plenty of negative space, allowing each element to breathe and shine. By following these best practices and experimenting with different combinations and applications, designers can unlock the full potential of the Black-Grey-White palette, creating designs that are both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.

Palette Image

Below is the generated palette image showing all colors in a vertical layout. Perfect for sharing on social media or using as a reference.

Black-Grey-White image

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about using and implementing the black-grey-white palette effectively in your projects.