#BDAA59
Closest named color: Desert (#CCAD60). oklch(73.7% 0.104 96.4), rgb(189, 170, 89).
Aa
Black text reads best on this color (9.05:1).
About this color
#BDAA59 is a medium-light, moderately saturated yellow. In OKLCH its lightness is 74%, its chroma 0.104 and its hue 96°. Its hue sits on the warm side of the wheel. The nearest named color is Desert (#CCAD60), ΔE 0.026 away. Black text reads best on it, at 9.05:1.
| Hue family | Yellows |
| Lightness | medium-light (74%) |
| Chroma | moderately saturated (0.104) |
| Temperature | warm |
| Nearest name | Desert (#CCAD60) |
| Black text | 9.05:1 |
| White text | 2.31:1 |
Values
| HEX | #BDAA59 |
| RGB | rgb(189, 170, 89) |
| HSL | hsl(49, 43%, 55%) |
| OKLCH | oklch(73.7% 0.104 96.4) |
Contrast
WCAG 2 contrast ratios are the conformance target: AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, AAA needs 7:1. APCA Lc values are supplementary guidance from the WCAG 3 drafts.
| Pair | WCAG 2 | Result | APCA | APCA guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text on #BDAA59 | 2.31:1 | Fails | Lc -50.6 | Large or bold text, headings |
| Black text on #BDAA59 | 9.05:1 | AAA | Lc 58.3 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #BDAA59 text on white | 2.31:1 | Fails | Lc 45.7 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #BDAA59 text on black | 9.05:1 | AAA | Lc -56.4 | Large or bold text, headings |
Tints and shades
A 50–950 scale built in OKLCH: the hue is held, lightness follows a Tailwind v4-like curve, and every step is kept inside the sRGB gamut. This color sits at step 400.
-
Step 50
50
#F7F6EF
oklch(97.2% 0.009 100)
-
Step 100
100
#EDEADC
oklch(93.6% 0.019 96.9)
-
Step 200
200
#E0DABF
oklch(88.6% 0.037 96.7)
-
Step 300
300
#CDC191
oklch(80.9% 0.065 95.7)
-
Step 400
400 (this color)
#BDAA59
oklch(73.7% 0.104 96.4)
-
Step 500
500
#A18800
oklch(63.1% 0.13 96)
-
Step 600
600
#877200
oklch(55.5% 0.114 96.2)
-
Step 700
700
#726000
oklch(49.2% 0.101 96.3)
-
Step 800
800
#5D4E00
oklch(42.6% 0.088 96.3)
-
Step 900
900
#4E4100
oklch(37.8% 0.078 96.2)
-
Step 950
950
#2E2601
oklch(27% 0.054 96.7)
#BDAA59 with color blindness
Simulated with the Machado et al. (2009) model. ΔE is how far the color moves: below about 0.02 you would not notice a change.
| Vision | Seen as | Shift (ΔE) |
|---|---|---|
| Protanopia (no red cones) | #B8A752 | 0.013 |
| Deuteranopia (no green cones) | #BDAD5C | 0.008 |
| Tritanopia (no blue cones) | #CA9F97 | 0.096 |
| Achromatopsia (no color) | #AAAAAA | 0.104 |
Harmonies
Hue rotations in OKLCH that keep this color's lightness and chroma.
Complementary
The opposite hue (180°).
- #BDAA59
#BDAA59
oklch(73.7% 0.104 96.4)
- #98A4EB
#98A4EB
oklch(73.7% 0.104 276.2)
Analogous
Neighbouring hues, 30° either side.
Split complementary
The two hues beside the complement (150° and 210°).
Triadic
Three hues spaced 120° apart.
Palettes with this color
Curated palettes that contain a color within ΔE 0.04 (OKLab) of #BDAA59, closest first.
Similar named colors
The eight closest entries in our named color list, with their ΔE distance.
- Desert #CCAD60 ΔE 0.026
- Sand Brown #CBA560 ΔE 0.028
- Camel #C69F59 ΔE 0.031
- Dark Khaki #BDB76B ΔE 0.034
- Sandstone #C9AE74 ΔE 0.037
- Toupe #C7AC7D ΔE 0.045
- Yellow Ochre #CB9D06 ΔE 0.050
- Fawn #CFAF7B ΔE 0.050
Use #BDAA59 in your product
Turn it into light and dark UI roles checked for contrast, then export to Tailwind v4, shadcn/ui, CSS or design tokens.