#BDAB59
Closest named color: Desert (#CCAD60). oklch(73.9% 0.105 97.2), rgb(189, 171, 89).
Aa
Black text reads best on this color (9.13:1).
About this color
#BDAB59 is a medium-light, moderately saturated yellow. In OKLCH its lightness is 74%, its chroma 0.105 and its hue 97°. 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 9.13:1.
| Hue family | Yellows |
| Lightness | medium-light (74%) |
| Chroma | moderately saturated (0.105) |
| Temperature | warm |
| Nearest name | Desert (#CCAD60) |
| Black text | 9.13:1 |
| White text | 2.29:1 |
Values
| HEX | #BDAB59 |
| RGB | rgb(189, 171, 89) |
| HSL | hsl(49, 43%, 55%) |
| OKLCH | oklch(73.9% 0.105 97.2) |
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 #BDAB59 | 2.29:1 | Fails | Lc -50.2 | Large or bold text, headings |
| Black text on #BDAB59 | 9.13:1 | AAA | Lc 58.7 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #BDAB59 text on white | 2.29:1 | Fails | Lc 45.3 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #BDAB59 text on black | 9.13:1 | AAA | Lc -56.8 | 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
#DFDABF
oklch(88.5% 0.036 98.5)
-
Step 300
300
#CCC191
oklch(80.8% 0.065 96.7)
-
Step 400
400 (this color)
#BDAB59
oklch(73.9% 0.105 97.2)
-
Step 500
500
#A08900
oklch(63.2% 0.13 97.2)
-
Step 600
600
#867300
oklch(55.7% 0.115 97.6)
-
Step 700
700
#716000
oklch(49.1% 0.101 97)
-
Step 800
800
#5D4E00
oklch(42.6% 0.088 96.3)
-
Step 900
900
#4D4100
oklch(37.6% 0.078 97.3)
-
Step 950
950
#2E2600
oklch(27% 0.056 97.1)
#BDAB59 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) | #B9A752 | 0.013 |
| Deuteranopia (no green cones) | #BEAE5D | 0.008 |
| Tritanopia (no blue cones) | #CAA098 | 0.097 |
| Achromatopsia (no color) | #ABABAB | 0.105 |
Harmonies
Hue rotations in OKLCH that keep this color's lightness and chroma.
Complementary
The opposite hue (180°).
- #BDAB59
#BDAB59
oklch(73.9% 0.105 97.2)
- #9AA4ED
#9AA4ED
oklch(73.9% 0.106 277.5)
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 #BDAB59, 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 0.029
- Dark Khaki #BDB76B ΔE 0.032
- Camel #C69F59 ΔE 0.034
- Sandstone #C9AE74 ΔE 0.037
- Toupe #C7AC7D ΔE 0.046
- Muddy Yellow #BFAC05 ΔE 0.049
- Fawn #CFAF7B ΔE 0.050
Use #BDAB59 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.