Slate #516572
Slate is a medium-dark, muted blue with hex code #516572 and RGB rgb(81, 101, 114).
Aa
White text reads best on this color (6.07:1).
About this color
#516572 is a medium-dark, muted blue. In OKLCH its lightness is 50%, its chroma 0.032 and its hue 237°. Its hue sits on the cool side of the wheel. It is the named color Slate. White text reads best on it, at 6.07:1.
| Hue family | Blues |
| Lightness | medium-dark (50%) |
| Chroma | muted (0.032) |
| Temperature | cool |
| Nearest name | Slate |
| Black text | 3.45:1 |
| White text | 6.07:1 |
Colors that go with Slate
Matches found by rotating Slate around the OKLCH hue wheel, each labelled with the closest name in our list.
Complementary
The opposite hue (180°).
Analogous
Neighbouring hues, 30° either side.
Triadic
Three hues spaced 120° apart.
Color palettes with Slate
Curated color palettes that contain a color within ΔE 0.06 (OKLab) of Slate, closest first.
Similar named colors
The eight named colors closest to Slate, with their ΔE distance.
- Dim Gray #696969 ΔE 0.041
- Dusty Grape #545775 ΔE 0.044
- YInMn Blue #415A77 ΔE 0.045
- Denim #3B638C ΔE 0.050
- Metallic Blue #4F738E ΔE 0.052
- Dark Aqua #05696B ΔE 0.062
- Dusk #4E5481 ΔE 0.064
- Dusky Blue #475F94 ΔE 0.064
More about Slate
How to make Slate
A starting recipe from common paint colors, found with a spectral paint model (the color mixer’s paint mode). Real pigments vary, so mix a small test batch and adjust.
- 2 parts blue
- 2 parts white
- 1 part black
Recipe result: #51676F, a difference of ΔE 0.008 from Slate. That is very close: most people will not see the difference.
Codes for Slate in every format
| HEX | #516572 |
| RGB | rgb(81, 101, 114) |
| HSL | hsl(204, 17%, 38%) |
| OKLCH | oklch(49.5% 0.032 236.8) |
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 #516572 | 6.07:1 | AA | Lc -85.5 | Fine for body text |
| Black text on #516572 | 3.45:1 | AA large text | Lc 23.7 | Dividers and decoration only |
| #516572 text on white | 6.07:1 | AA | Lc 80.4 | Fine for body text |
| #516572 text on black | 3.45:1 | AA large text | Lc -21.5 | Dividers and decoration only |
Shades and tints of Slate
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 700.
-
Step 50
50
#F4F6F7
oklch(97.2% 0.003 228.8)
-
Step 100
100
#E7EAEC
oklch(93.5% 0.004 236.5)
-
Step 200
200
#D4DADE
oklch(88.5% 0.009 236.6)
-
Step 300
300
#B8C2C9
oklch(80.8% 0.015 238.1)
-
Step 400
400
#93A3AE
oklch(70.6% 0.024 237.8)
-
Step 500
500
#788D9A
oklch(63.1% 0.031 235.2)
-
Step 600
600
#617785
oklch(55.7% 0.034 236.1)
-
Step 700
700 (this color)
#516572
oklch(49.5% 0.032 236.8)
-
Step 800
800
#42515C
oklch(42.6% 0.026 240)
-
Step 900
900
#37434B
oklch(37.5% 0.021 237.3)
-
Step 950
950
#21282C
oklch(27.2% 0.012 232.9)
Slate 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) | #5F6473 | 0.020 |
| Deuteranopia (no green cones) | #5B6172 | 0.018 |
| Tritanopia (no blue cones) | #476869 | 0.024 |
| Achromatopsia (no color) | #626262 | 0.032 |
Use Slate 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.