Soft & pastelModern contrast
Lilac and Charcoal Color Combination
Charcoal gives pale lilac a firm edge, so a soft color still feels contemporary and graphic rather than washed out.
Hex codes #C8A2C8 and #36454F — a modern contrast pair with a 4.46:1 contrast ratio between the two colors.
Values for this combination
- RGB
- rgb(200, 162, 200)
- HSL
- hsl(300, 26%, 71%)
- Hex
- #C8A2C8
- RGB
- rgb(54, 69, 79)
- HSL
- hsl(204, 19%, 26%)
- Hex
- #36454F
Contrast between Lilac and Charcoal
Contrast ratio 4.46:1. This only decides whether one color of the pair can carry text on the other — the colors themselves always work side by side.
Charcoal text on a Lilac surface, at 4.46:1.
Lilac text on a Charcoal surface, at 4.46:1.
Where this pair works
- Tech packaging
- Portfolio sites
- Poster design
Give Lilac (#C8A2C8) roughly 60% of the surface, Charcoal (#36454F) 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
Lilac and Charcoal 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#efebefbackgrounds and large surfaces · closest to Isabelline
- Primary#C8A2C8the dominant color · closest to Lilac
- Secondary#36454Fthe accent color · closest to Charcoal
- Deep shade#1c2831text, borders and icons · closest to YankeesBlue
- Neutral#f6f4f6dividers and quiet surfaces · closest to WhiteSmoke
Explore Lilac and Charcoal on their own
Lilac
More color combinations
Charcoal and Cream
#36454F · #FFFDD0Softened neutralOpen combinationPink and Gray
#FFC0CB · #808080Balanced softnessOpen combinationLavender and Cream
#E6E6FA · #FFFDD0Quiet luxuryOpen combinationBlush and Sage
#DE5D83 · #BCB88ABotanical softnessOpen combinationPastelPink and PastelBlue
#FFD1DC · #AEC6CFNursery classicOpen combinationMint and White
#98FF98 · #FFFFFFClean and freshOpen combinationLilac and Charcoal are a modern contrast pair: charcoal gives pale lilac a firm edge, so a soft color still feels contemporary and graphic rather than washed out.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — this pair is used for tech packaging, portfolio sites, poster design. The two colors measure 4.46:1 against each other, which is enough for large text and graphics, but not for body text.
Good to know
- Every value on this page is calculated from #C8A2C8 and #36454F — nothing is hardcoded.
- Build a longer palette out of Lilac or Charcoal in the palette generator, or test your own text pair in the contrast checker.
Put this combination to work
Turn Lilac and Charcoal into a full palette, a gradient or a set of shades — or check the pair against WCAG.
