Soft Brown Color Palette – HEX, RGB & Design Inspiration
Color Details
HEX: #AF7C74
RGB: 175, 124, 116
HEX: #B78876
RGB: 183, 136, 118
HEX: #C99E87
RGB: 201, 158, 135
HEX: #D2A993
RGB: 210, 169, 147
HEX: #D9B7A5
RGB: 217, 183, 165
Text on White/Black Backgrounds
Color Pair Combinations (10 total)
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
Recommended Text Colors
Horizontal (Left to Right)
background: linear-gradient(to right, #AF7C74 0%, #B78876 25%, #C99E87 50%, #D2A993 75%, #D9B7A5 100%);Vertical (Top to Bottom)
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #AF7C74 0%, #B78876 25%, #C99E87 50%, #D2A993 75%, #D9B7A5 100%);Diagonal (Top Left to Bottom Right)
background: linear-gradient(to bottom right, #AF7C74 0%, #B78876 25%, #C99E87 50%, #D2A993 75%, #D9B7A5 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
Normal Vision
No color vision deficiency
Color Swatches
#AF7C74
#B78876
#C99E87
#D2A993
#D9B7A5
Full Palette View
How people with Normal Vision see it:
Overall Mood & Feel
Energetic, warm, and inviting, with an airy and optimistic feel
Emotional Impact
Stimulating and energetic, evoking feelings of excitement, warmth, and action. The light tones create an uplifting, optimistic atmosphere perfect for approachable brands
Psychological Effect
This 5-color palette creates a energetic, warm, and inviting, with an airy and optimistic feel. It stimulates activity and engagement, increasing heart rate and mental alertness. 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
Perfect For These Industries
Target Audience
Young, trend-conscious consumers (18-35) who value creativity and self-expression. Appeals to those seeking approachable, positive, and optimistic brands
Individual Color Psychology
#AF7C74
Warm and romantic
Emotions Evoked
Personality Traits
Brand Traits
Ideal Industries
Marketing Use
Creates urgency, stimulates appetite, increases heart rate, and grabs attention. Perfect for clearance sales, food brands, and call-to-action buttons.
Cultural Meanings
Color Harmony Analysis
Palette Mood
Temperature
This palette combines balanced moods with warm tones, making it versatile for various design applications.
Professional Implementation Guide
This monochromatic soft brown palette features 5 carefully selected warm tones that create a balanced and versatile aesthetic. With low contrast levels and moderate saturation, this palette is optimized for .
Web Design & Development
For web development, implement this palette with CSS variables for easy theme switching. Consider adding darker variants for better text readability.
- 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 subtle color variations 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 #AF7C74 as the dominant color for headers and #D9B7A5 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 Soft Brown:
Dominant Color
#AF7C74Use #AF7C74 as your primary color for backgrounds, main content areas. This red tone should occupy about 60% of your design space.
Secondary Color
#C99E87Apply #C99E87 as your secondary color for subtle backgrounds and card components. Allocate approximately 30% of your layout to this color.
Accent Color
#D9B7A5Reserve #D9B7A5 for accent elements like buttons, links, and important highlights. This orange accent should be used sparingly (10% of design) to draw attention to key actions.
Professional Best Practices
✓ Smart Usage Tips
- •Add white or black text overlays to improve readability on colored backgrounds
- •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
3
Categories
2428
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 .
Individual Color Breakdown
Each color in this warm palette has been analyzed for its properties and ideal usage scenarios. The low contrast and moderate saturation ensure harmonious visual relationships.
#AF7C74
RED
#AF7C74 serves as the primary/dominant color in this palette. This medium red (muted) brings energy and warmth Use it for headers, navigation bars, and brand elements.
Light toneH: 8°S: 27%L: 57%#B78876
ORANGE
#B78876 serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This medium orange (moderately saturated) brings creativity and enthusiasm Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.
Light toneH: 17°S: 31%L: 59%#C99E87
ORANGE
#C99E87 serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This medium orange (moderately saturated) brings creativity and enthusiasm Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.
Light toneH: 21°S: 38%L: 66%#D2A993
ORANGE
#D2A993 serves as the secondary/supporting color in this palette. This medium orange (moderately saturated) brings creativity and enthusiasm Use it for cards, borders, section dividers, and supporting UI components.
Light toneH: 21°S: 41%L: 70%#D9B7A5
ORANGE
#D9B7A5 serves as the accent/highlight color in this palette. This light orange (moderately saturated) brings creativity and enthusiasm Use it for call-to-action buttons, links, important notifications, and interactive elements.
Light toneH: 21°S: 41%L: 75%
Palette Characteristics
This palette exhibits distinct characteristics that make it particularly suitable for specific design applications and industries.
Warm colors create energy, excitement, and approachability. Perfect for brands targeting emotional connection.
Low contrast creates subtle, sophisticated aesthetics but requires careful attention to text legibility.
Moderate saturation balances visual interest with professional restraint.
Balanced brightness provides flexibility for both light and dark design elements.
💡 Pro Tips for This Palette
- Perfect for: . 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: Test text combinations carefully with contrast checkers to ensure accessibility compliance.
- 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
Explore Soft Brown Palette
The Soft Brown color palette is a masterful blend of warm, inviting hues that evoke a sense of comfort and relaxation. At its core, this palette is all about creating a soothing atmosphere that draws the viewer in and makes them feel at ease. The colors work together in perfect harmony, each one complementing the others to create a sense of depth and visual interest. Whether you're designing a website, app, or branding materials, the Soft Brown palette is a great choice for anyone looking to create a warm and welcoming aesthetic.
As we delve deeper into the palette, we can see that each color plays a unique role in creating the overall mood and feel. The lightest shade, D9B7A5, is a beautiful, soft beige that adds a touch of warmth and elegance to the palette. In contrast, the darkest shade, AF7C74, is a rich, earthy brown that adds depth and complexity to the design. The middle shades, B78876, C99E87, and D2A993, are all variations on the pink and coral theme, with each one bringing its own unique character to the table. For example, B78876 is a lovely, muted pink that adds a touch of femininity to the design, while C99E87 is a vibrant, coral-inspired shade that adds a burst of energy and excitement.
In terms of practical applications, the Soft Brown palette is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of design contexts. For example, it would be perfect for a website or app that wants to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, such as a food blog or a travel company. It could also be used for branding and marketing materials, such as business cards, brochures, or social media graphics. The palette's warm, inviting colors make it ideal for designs that want to create a sense of comfort and relaxation, such as a spa or wellness center. Additionally, the palette's modern and monochromatic style makes it a great choice for designers who want to create a sleek and sophisticated look.
The colors in the Soft Brown palette also have a profound impact on viewer perception and behavior. For example, the warm, earthy tones of AF7C74 and B78876 can create a sense of comfort and relaxation, while the brighter, more vibrant shades of C99E87 and D2A993 can add a sense of energy and excitement. The lightest shade, D9B7A5, can help to create a sense of balance and harmony, while the darker shades can add a sense of depth and complexity. By using these colors in a thoughtful and intentional way, designers can create a visual language that resonates with their audience and communicates their message in a powerful and effective way.
For designers who want to get the most out of the Soft Brown palette, there are a few pro tips to keep in mind. For example, the palette pairs beautifully with complementary colors like blues and greens, which can help to create a sense of contrast and visual interest. Additionally, the palette can be paired with other warm, earthy tones like oranges and yellows to create a sense of cohesion and harmony. In terms of design best practices, it's a good idea to use the lighter shades like D9B7A5 and D2A993 as backgrounds or accents, while the darker shades like AF7C74 and B78876 can be used as primary colors or textures. By following these tips and using the Soft Brown palette in a thoughtful and intentional way, designers can create beautiful, effective designs that resonate with their audience and communicate their message in a powerful and compelling way.
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.
Categories & Tags
Categories
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about using and implementing the soft brown palette effectively in your projects.