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#FF7F50
Red family

Coral

Also known as: vibrant · tropical · playful · warm · inviting
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Hex #FF7F50
RGB rgb(255, 127, 80)
HSL hsl(16°, 100%, 66%)
CMYK 0 · 50 · 69 · 0
CSS coral
NCS S 0540-Y70R

RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.

Meaning

In Western cultures, coral often symbolizes warmth and positivity, evoking feelings of joy and creativity. Contrastingly, in some Eastern cultures, it can represent protection and good fortune, reflecting its historical use in jewelry as a talisman.

The term 'coral' has its roots in the Latin word 'corallium', which referred to the marine organism itself. In the 19th century, coral dyeing techniques emerged, leading to coral shades becoming fashionable in clothing and home decor, especially in the 1920s.

vibranttropicalplayfulwarminviting

The story of Coral

Where the name and the color come from.

Coral is named after the marine animal — specifically the pinkish-orange skeletons of red and pink coral that have been polished into jewelry since antiquity. The color captures that warm blend of pink and orange, soft yet lively.

Because it comes from the sea and from ornament, coral has always carried connotations of warmth, vitality and the tropics. Pantone chose "Living Coral" as its 2019 Color of the Year, citing its life-affirming, sociable energy.

Where you'll see Coral

The places, brands and moments that shaped this color.

Coral jewelry

Polished red coral has adorned cultures from the Mediterranean to Tibet for thousands of years, the source of both the material and the color name.

Mid-century and tropical design

Coral flourished in 1950s interiors and resort wear, a cheerful warm-weather staple.

Living Coral, Pantone 2019

The selection put coral at the center of a wave of warm, optimistic, social-media-friendly branding.

Using Coral in design

How it behaves in interiors, fashion and branding.

Coral is friendly, energetic and flattering — warm enough to feel inviting without the intensity of true red or orange. As an accent it lifts neutral interiors instantly, and on skin it is one of the most universally becoming tones, which keeps it in heavy rotation for cosmetics and apparel.

Its natural partner is teal/turquoise; the warm-cool contrast is so balanced it has become a default for everything from beach houses to app interfaces.

What pairs with Coral

Curated combinations — and exactly why each one works.

Coral + Teal

The definitive coral pairing: warm coral against cool teal is balanced, vivid and endlessly versatile.

Coral + Navy Blue

Navy gives coral a crisp, nautical anchor — fresh and preppy.

Coral + Cream

Cream lets coral glow softly, a warm, sun-washed combination.

Coral + Mint

Coral and mint is a fresh, retro warm-cool pastel pairing, a staple of spring palettes.

Similar colors

Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Coral. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).

All 33 Reds →

Mango

#FF8243 · ΔE 7.2

Burnt Sienna

#E97451 · ΔE 9.6

Tomato

#FF6347 · ΔE 13.5

Papaya

#FF9470 · ΔE 14.8

Guava

#FA5B3D · ΔE 15.7

Orange Red

#FF4500 · ΔE 32.5

Shades & tints

Nine steps of Coral by lightness — from #85422A (darkest) to #FFBCA4 (lightest). Click any to copy.

-40% #85422A
-30% #A35133
-20% #C2613D
-10% #E07046
BASE #FF7F50
+15% #FF8E65
+30% #FF9E7A
+50% #FFAD8F
+70% #FFBCA4

Complementary

Sitting opposite Coral at 196° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.

Cerulean

#007BA7

Sky Blue

#87CEEB

Deep Sky Blue

#00BFFF

Onyx

#353839

Palettes

Curated 5-color combinations featuring Coral.

#FF7F50
#009688
#FFFFFF
#FFD700
#FF4500

Tropical Escape

Vibrant Adventure
#FF7F50
#FFB6C1
#F5F5F5
#8B4513
#FF6347

Sunset Serenity

Calm Reflection
#FF7F50
#4682B4
#2C2C2C
#FFDAB9
#FF1493

Coral Coast

Coastal Bliss

Coral scale

A 50–900 tonal scale with Coral anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.

50 #FFF5F1
100 #FFE8E0
200 #FFCEBD
300 #FFB59A
400 #FF9A75
500 #FF7F50
600 #D16842
700 #A85435
800 #804028
900 #572B1B

Accessibility

Works well as text on dark backgrounds; fails on light.

Aa Best text color: #000000 · 8.4:1
Coral as text on… Ratio AA AAA
Aa White background 2.5:1 Fail Fail
Aa Black background 8.4:1 Pass Pass

Thresholds: AA needs 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large); AAA needs 7:1 / 4.5:1. Large = 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold.

How to use #FF7F50

Copy-ready values for CSS, screen and print, plus the extra conversions designers reach for.

CSS color: coral;
CSS color-mix (lighten 30%) color-mix(in srgb, coral 70%, white)
HSV / HSB 16°, 69%, 100%
CMYK (print) 0, 50, 69, 0
Decimal 16744272
Nearest web-safe #FF6666

Color vision

How Coral appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.

Normal vision

#FF7F50

Protanopia (no red)

#C8C65B

Deuteranopia (no green)

#CFD95E

Tritanopia (no blue)

#F96466

Coral FAQ

Quick answers to the questions people ask about Coral.

Is coral pink or orange?

It is both — coral is a blend of pink and orange. Some corals lean pinker, others more orange ("living coral" sits right in the middle), but the warm pink-orange mix is what defines the color.

What is the difference between coral and salmon?

They overlap, but salmon is generally pinker and more muted (the color of cooked salmon flesh), while coral is brighter and carries more orange. Coral reads more vibrant and tropical.

What colors go with coral?

Teal and turquoise for its signature complementary pop, navy for a crisp nautical look, cream and white to soften it, and mint or gold for fresh and warm accents respectively.

Tomato 9 / 33 Reds Salmon
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