Salmon HEX Code
The HEX code for salmon is #FA8072. Salmon is a pinkish-orange color named after the flesh of salmon fish. It's warm, inviting, and softer than coral or orange.
Salmon Color Values
| Format | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #FA8072 |
| RGB | rgb(250, 128, 114) |
| HSL | hsl(6, 93%, 71%) |
| CMYK | C:0 M:49 Y:54 K:2 |
Salmon Shades and Variations
| Shade | HEX | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Light Salmon | #FFA07A | Lighter |
| Salmon | #FA8072 | CSS salmon |
| Dark Salmon | #E9967A | Darker |
| Coral | #FF7F50 | More orange |
| Light Coral | #F08080 | Pinker |
Salmon in Design
Salmon conveys:
- Warmth: Inviting, cozy
- Softness: Gentle, approachable
- Femininity: Subtle, elegant
- Food: Culinary, appetizing
Using Salmon in Design
``css
/* Salmon palette */
:root {
--salmon-light: #FFA07A;
--salmon: #FA8072;
--salmon-dark: #E9967A;
}
/* Soft card design */
.soft-card {
background-color: #FFF5F5;
border-left: 4px solid #FA8072;
}
`
Salmon vs Coral vs Peach
| Color | HEX | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon | #FA8072 | Pink-orange |
| Coral | #FF7F50 | Orange-pink |
| Peach | #FFDAB9 | Light, soft |
Salmon is excellent for feminine designs, food-related content, and creating warm, approachable interfaces.Salmon in Every Format
| Format | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #FA8072 |
| RGB | rgb(250, 128, 114) |
| HSL | hsl(6, 93%, 71%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 49%, 54%, 2%) |
| Nearest Tailwind | red-400 (#F87171) |
About This Colour
Salmon is #FA8072, a muted pink-orange. It is softer than coral and reads as a background rather than an accent.
Will It Pass Contrast?
| Combination | Ratio | WCAG |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon text on white | 2.50:1 | fails |
| Salmon text on black | 8.40:1 | AAA |
| White text on salmon | 2.50:1 | fails |
WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for text above 18pt or 14pt bold. Salmon passes on black, so reserve it for dark backgrounds.Building a Palette Around It
| Role | Colour |
|---|---|
| Lighter (+20%) | #fdd7d3 |
| Base | #FA8072 |
| Darker (−20%) | #f6250e |
| Complementary | #70ecfa |
| Triadic | #70fa7e, #7e70fa |
Tints (toward white): #fba095, #fdc0b9, #fedfdcShades (toward black): #bc6056, #7d4039, #3f201d
Using It
`css
:root {
--salmon: #fa8072;
--salmon-light: #fdd7d3;
--salmon-dark: #f6250e;
}
.badge {
background: var(--salmon);
color: #fff;
}
`
Define the colour once as a custom property rather than repeating the hex. When the brand
changes — and it will — you edit one line instead of grepping a stylesheet.
A Full Ramp From This Colour
Design systems settle on a 50–900 scale because it covers backgrounds, borders, text and
states without anyone reaching outside the palette. Mixing toward white and black rather
than adjusting HSL lightness keeps more of the hue's character:
| Step | Colour | Contrast on white | Safe for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | #F5F9FF | 1.06:1 | backgrounds and fills |
| 100 | #EBF3FE | 1.12:1 | backgrounds and fills |
| 200 | #CEE0FD | 1.34:1 | backgrounds and fills |
| 300 | #B1CDFB | 1.62:1 | backgrounds and fills |
| 400 | #76A8F9 | 2.40:1 | backgrounds and fills |
| 500 | #3B82F6 | 3.68:1 | large text, borders |
| 600 | #326FD1 | 4.85:1 | body text on white |
| 700 | #295BAC | 6.59:1 | body text on white |
| 800 | #204887 | 8.98:1 | body text on white |
| 900 | #183462 | 12.31:1 | body text on white |
The contrast column is the one that decides usage. Steps below 3:1 cannot carry text at
any size and belong in fills and dividers; steps at 4.5:1 and above are safe for body copy.Adjusting It
Base colour in HSL is hsl(217, 91%, 60%). Two useful moves:
`css
/* +10% lightness, same hue */
--lighter: #6da2f8;
/* −10% lightness */
--darker: #0b64f4;
``
Raising lightness also drops perceived saturation, so a lightened colour reads greyer than its numbers suggest. Adding 5–10% saturation alongside every 20% of lightness keeps the ramp looking like one hue rather than a fade to grey.