#FAF0BE
Yellow family

Primrose

Also known as: delicate · soft · cheerful · floral · light
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Hex #FAF0BE
RGB rgb(250, 240, 190)
HSL hsl(50°, 86%, 86%)
CMYK 0 · 4 · 24 · 2
RAL RAL 1013 · Oyster White

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

Meaning

In Western cultures, Primrose symbolizes youth and new beginnings, often associated with the arrival of spring. However, in some Asian traditions, it represents fleeting beauty and the ephemeral nature of life, highlighting a contrast between celebration and transience.

The term 'primrose' dates back to the 14th century, derived from the Latin 'primula', meaning 'first little flower', which reflects its early bloom in spring. The color gained popularity in the 19th century as part of the Art Nouveau movement, where it was embraced for its soft, natural aesthetic.

delicatesoftcheerfulflorallight

Similar colors

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

All 29 Yellows →

Shades & tints

Nine steps of Primrose by lightness — from #827D63 (darkest) to #FCF7DD (lightest). Click any to copy.

-40% #827D63
-30% #A09A7A
-20% #BEB690
-10% #DCD3A7
BASE #FAF0BE
+15% #FBF2C6
+30% #FBF4CE
+50% #FCF5D5
+70% #FCF7DD

Complementary

Sitting opposite Primrose at 230° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.

Palettes

Curated 5-color combinations featuring Primrose.

#FAF0BE
#FFD700
#FFFFFF
#B0E0E6
#FF69B4

Spring Awakening

Fresh energy
#FAF0BE
#F5F5DC
#D3D3D3
#FFE4B5
#FFB6C1

Gentle Morning

Calm serenity
#FAF0BE
#FF4500
#8B4513
#FFF8DC
#32CD32

Floral Harmony

Vibrant balance

Primrose scale

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

50 #FFFEFA
100 #FEFCF3
200 #FDF9E6
300 #FCF6D9
400 #FBF3CC
500 #FAF0BE
600 #CDC59C
700 #A59E7D
800 #7D785F
900 #555241

Accessibility

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

Aa Best text color: #000000 · 18.27:1
Primrose as text on… Ratio AA AAA
Aa White background 1.15:1 Fail Fail
Aa Black background 18.27:1 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 #FAF0BE

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

CSS color: #FAF0BE;
CSS color-mix (lighten 30%) color-mix(in srgb, #FAF0BE 70%, white)
HSV / HSB 50°, 24%, 98%
CMYK (print) 0, 4, 24, 2
Decimal 16445630
Nearest web-safe #FFFFCC

Color vision

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

Normal vision

#FAF0BE

Protanopia (no red)

#F6F6CA

Deuteranopia (no green)

#F6F7CD

Tritanopia (no blue)

#FAD4D6
Brass
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