What color is #B3B9B5?

#B3B9B5 is a light gray, closest to the named color Metal. It belongs to the gray family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #B3B9B5?

The RGB value is 179, 185, 181: 179 red, 185 green and 181 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #B3B9B5?

The complementary color is #B9B3B7, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #B3B9B5?

Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 10.52:1 and white text 2:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#B3B9B5 color

#B3B9B5 rgb(179, 185, 181)

Shades of gray

The hex color #B3B9B5 is a light gray.

In the RGB color model it is made of 70.2% red, 72.5% green and 71% blue (179, 185, 181).

Its hue angle is 140°, with 4% saturation and 71% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 3% cyan, 0% magenta, 2% yellow and 27% black.

The closest named color is Metal (#BABFBC), a difference of 1.8 ΔE, which is barely visible.

Black text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 10.52:1).

#B3B9B5 color codes

HEX	`#B3B9B5`
RGB	`rgb(179, 185, 181)`
RGB percent	`rgb(70.2%, 72.5%, 71%)`
HSL	`hsl(140, 4%, 71%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(140, 3%, 73%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(3%, 0%, 2%, 27%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(74.58, -2.84, 1.3)`
CIE LCH	`lch(74.58, 3.12, 155.45)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(44.278, 47.618, 50.566)`
Decimal	`11778485`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #B3B9B5, based on their position on the color wheel.

Complementary

The color opposite on the color wheel (180°). Strongest contrast.

Analogous

Neighbors 30° either side. Calm, natural combinations.

Split complementary

The two colors next to the complement (150° and 210°).

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced, 120° apart.

Tetradic (square)

Four colors 90° apart.

Shades, tints and tones

Shades (darker, mixed with black)

Tints (lighter, mixed with white)

Tones (mixed with gray)

Contrast and accessibility

Text on #B3B9B5	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	10.52:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	2:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

#B3B9B5 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	2:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	10.52:1	Pass	Pass	Pass

WCAG 2 asks for 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 7:1 for AAA, and 3:1 for large text. Check other pairs.

Color blindness simulation

How #B3B9B5 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #b3b9b5; }
.text { color: #b3b9b5; }
.border { border: 2px solid #b3b9b5; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(179 185 181 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #b3b9b5, #b3b9b8); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Ash Gray.

Questions

What color is #B3B9B5?: #B3B9B5 is a light gray, closest to the named color Metal. It belongs to the gray family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #B3B9B5?: The RGB value is 179, 185, 181: 179 red, 185 green and 181 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #B3B9B5?: The complementary color is #B9B3B7, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #B3B9B5?: Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 10.52:1 and white text 2:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.