Everyday neutralsSoftened neutral
Charcoal and Cream Color Combination
Charcoal and cream are the gentle versions of black and white: the same structure with much lower glare, which is easier on the eye on full screens and on paper.
Hex codes #36454F and #FFFDD0 — a softened neutral pair with a 9.53:1 contrast ratio between the two colors.
Values for this combination
- RGB
- rgb(54, 69, 79)
- HSL
- hsl(204, 19%, 26%)
- Hex
- #36454F
- RGB
- rgb(255, 253, 208)
- HSL
- hsl(57, 100%, 91%)
- Hex
- #FFFDD0
Contrast between Charcoal and Cream
Contrast ratio 9.53:1. This only decides whether one color of the pair can carry text on the other — the colors themselves always work side by side.
Cream text on a Charcoal surface, at 9.53:1.
Charcoal text on a Cream surface, at 9.53:1.
Where this pair works
- Long-form reading
- Stationery
- Portfolio sites
Give Charcoal (#36454F) roughly 60% of the surface, Cream (#FFFDD0) about 30%, and leave the last 10% for the neutral below. That split is what keeps a two-color combination from turning into a fight.
A five-color set from this pair
Charcoal and Cream as a working palette: a pale tint of the lighter color for backgrounds, both colors as they are, a deep shade of the darker color for text and a neutral for everything in between.
- Pale tint#faf8e1backgrounds and large surfaces · closest to OldLace
- Primary#36454Fthe dominant color · closest to Charcoal
- Secondary#FFFDD0the accent color · closest to Cream
- Deep shade#1c2831text, borders and icons · closest to YankeesBlue
- Neutral#f6f6f4dividers and quiet surfaces · closest to WhiteSmoke
Explore Charcoal and Cream on their own
Charcoal
More color combinations
Terracotta and Cream
#E2725B · #FFFDD0Handmade warmthOpen combinationLavender and Cream
#E6E6FA · #FFFDD0Quiet luxuryOpen combinationLilac and Charcoal
#C8A2C8 · #36454FModern contrastOpen combinationBabyBlue and Cream
#89CFF0 · #FFFDD0Gentle classicOpen combinationOlive and Cream
#808000 · #FFFDD0Organic foundationOpen combinationBlack and White
#000000 · #FFFFFFMaximum clarityOpen combinationCharcoal and Cream are a softened neutral pair: charcoal and cream are the gentle versions of black and white: the same structure with much lower glare, which is easier on the eye on full screens and on paper.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — this pair is used for long-form reading, stationery, portfolio sites. The two colors measure 9.53:1 against each other, which is enough for body text in either direction.
Good to know
- Every value on this page is calculated from #36454F and #FFFDD0 — nothing is hardcoded.
- Build a longer palette out of Charcoal or Cream in the palette generator, or test your own text pair in the contrast checker.
Put this combination to work
Turn Charcoal and Cream into a full palette, a gradient or a set of shades — or check the pair against WCAG.
