What color is #B3C9D9?

#B3C9D9 is a light, desaturated azure, closest to the named color Cloudy Valley. It belongs to the gray family of colors.

What is the RGB value of #B3C9D9?

The RGB value is 179, 201, 217: 179 red, 201 green and 217 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.

What is the complementary color of #B3C9D9?

The complementary color is #D9C3B3, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.

Is black or white text better on #B3C9D9?

Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 12.27:1 and white text 1.71:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

#B3C9D9 color

#B3C9D9 rgb(179, 201, 217)

Shades of gray

The hex color #B3C9D9 is a light, desaturated azure.

In the RGB color model it is made of 70.2% red, 78.8% green and 85.1% blue (179, 201, 217).

Its hue angle is 205°, with 33% saturation and 78% lightness. For print, the CMYK equivalent is 18% cyan, 7% magenta, 0% yellow and 15% black.

The closest named color is Cloudy Valley (#B1C6D6), a difference of 0.8 ΔE, which is barely visible.

Black text is the more readable choice on this background (contrast 12.27:1).

#B3C9D9 color codes

HEX	`#B3C9D9`
RGB	`rgb(179, 201, 217)`
RGB percent	`rgb(70.2%, 78.8%, 85.1%)`
HSL	`hsl(205, 33%, 78%)`
HSV / HSB	`hsv(205, 18%, 85%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(18%, 7%, 0%, 15%)`
CIE LAB	`lab(79.82, -4.09, -10.45)`
CIE LCH	`lch(79.82, 11.22, 248.63)`
CIE XYZ	`xyz(51.998, 56.366, 73.772)`
Decimal	`11782617`
Short hex	`None (no 3-digit form)`

Color harmonies

Colors that go with #B3C9D9, 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 #B3C9D9	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	12.27:1	Pass	Pass	Pass
Sample text	1.71:1	Fail	Fail	Fail

#B3C9D9 as text on	Ratio	AA	AAA	AA large
Sample text	1.71:1	Fail	Fail	Fail
Sample text	12.27:1	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 #B3C9D9 looks to people with the most common types of color vision deficiency.

CSS examples

.background { background-color: #b3c9d9; }
.text { color: #b3c9d9; }
.border { border: 2px solid #b3c9d9; }
.transparent { background-color: rgb(179 201 217 / 50%); }
.gradient { background: linear-gradient(to right, #b3c9d9, #b3b6d9); }

Background

Text color

Border

Similar colors

Closest common color name: Columbia Blue.

Questions

What color is #B3C9D9?: #B3C9D9 is a light, desaturated azure, closest to the named color Cloudy Valley. It belongs to the gray family of colors.
What is the RGB value of #B3C9D9?: The RGB value is 179, 201, 217: 179 red, 201 green and 217 blue on a 0 to 255 scale.
What is the complementary color of #B3C9D9?: The complementary color is #D9C3B3, found by rotating the hue 180° on the color wheel.
Is black or white text better on #B3C9D9?: Black text. Black text has a contrast ratio of 12.27:1 and white text 1.71:1. WCAG asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text.