Color swatch image showing #B5B8B9 with RGB(181,184,185) values

#B5B8B9 Color Meaning and Information

Everything you need to know about #B5B8B9 including values, color harmonies, shades, meanings, and applications in design, branding, and everyday visuals.

#B5B8B9 Color Information

#B5B8B9 RGB value is (181, 184, 185). The hex color red value is 181, green is 184, and blue is 185. Its HSL format shows a hue of 195°, saturation of 3 percent, and lightness of 72 percent. The CMYK process values are 2 percent, 1 percent, 0 percent, 27 percent.

#B5B8B9 color swatch
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#B5B8B9 Color Meaning

Color #B5B8B9 expresses quiet neutrality, post-combustion calm, and mineral balance. #B5B8B9 green-tinged grey mimics cooled embers or weathered stone—neither warm nor cold, but resolved. Psychologically, color #B5B8B9 reduces visual tension in editorial layouts and professional interfaces by offering a midpoint between white and black. #B5B8B9 feels more organic than silver, less sterile than concrete. In Scandinavian and Japanese design, #B5B8B9 aligns with wabi-sabi and lagom philosophies—beauty in balance, not excess. Spiritually, #B5B8B9 represents peace after intensity: clarity that follows release. Use color #B5B8B9 as a structural tone when your content must feel considered, not chaotic, and your audience values calm over charisma.

Color Conversion

Convert #B5B8B9 across different color models and formats. These conversions help designers work seamlessly between digital and print media, ensuring this color maintains its intended appearance across RGB screens, CMYK printers, and HSL color manipulations.

HEX
#B5B8B9
RGB
rgb(181, 184, 185)
HSL
hsl(195°, 3%, 72%)
CMYK
cmyk(2%, 1%, 0%, 27%)
HSV
hsv(195°, 2%, 73%)
XYZ
44.9535 47.6075 52.7188
Yxy
47.6075 0.3094 0.3277
Hunter Lab
68.9982 -0.1899 -0.1794
CIE-Lab
74.5767 -0.8532 -0.8811

RGB Values & CMYK Values

RGB Values

Red181 / 255 (71%)
71%
Green184 / 255 (72%)
72%
Blue185 / 255 (73%)
73%

CMYK Values

Cyan2 / 100 (2%)
Magenta1 / 100 (1%)
Yellow0 / 100 (0%)
Key (Black)27 / 100 (27%)
27%

Color Variations

#B5B8B9 harmonies come to life through carefully balanced shades, tints, and tones, giving this color depth and flexibility across light and dark variations. Shades add richness, tints bring an airy softness, and tones soften intensity, making it easy to pair in clean, modern palettes.

Color Harmonies

#B5B8B9 harmonies create beautiful relationships with other colors based on their position on the color wheel. Each harmony type offers unique design possibilities, enabling cohesive and visually appealing color schemes.

Analogous

Colors adjacent on the color wheel (30° apart)

Complementary

Colors opposite on the color wheel (180° apart)

Split Complementary

Three colors using one base hue and the two hues beside its opposite

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced (120° apart)

Tetradic

Four colors forming a rectangle on the wheel

Square

Four colors evenly spaced (90° apart)

Double Split

Four colors formed from two base hues and the colors next to their opposites

Monochromatic

Variations of a single hue

Contrast Checker

(WCAG 2.1) Test #B5B8B9 for accessibility compliance against white and black backgrounds. Proper contrast ensures this color remains readable and usable for all audiences, meeting WCAG 2.1 standards for both normal and large text applications.

#FFFFFF
#B5B8B9

Sample Text

This is how your text will look with these colors.

Large Text (18pt+)

2.00:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

Normal Text

2.00:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

UI Components

2.00:1
WCAG AA
WCAG AAA

Color Blindness Simulator

See how #B5B8B9 appears to people with different types of color vision deficiencies. These simulations help create more inclusive designs that consider how this color is perceived across various visual abilities.

Normal Vision

#B5B8B9

protanopia

#b6b6b9

Note: These simulations are approximations. Actual color vision deficiency varies by individual.

CSS Examples

Background Color

background-color: #B5B8B9;

Text Color

color: #B5B8B9;

Sample Text

Border Color

border: 2px solid #B5B8B9;

Box Shadow

box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #B5B8B940;

Text Shadow

text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px #B5B8B9;

Sample Text

Gradient

background: linear-gradient(135deg, #B5B8B9 0%, #676c6d 100%);

#B5B8B9 Color FAQs

Frequently asked questions about #B5B8B9 color meaning, symbolism, and applications. Click on any question to expand detailed answers.