Blue color · CSS named color
Cadet Blue Color Code: #5F9EA0
Cadet Blue is a medium, soft cyan color with the hexadecimal value #5F9EA0. In RGB it is 95, 158, 160 and in HSL it is 182°, 25%, 50%. Black text reads best on it (6.88:1 contrast).
Cadet Blue color values
#5F9EA0
rgb(95, 158, 160)
hsl(182, 25%, 50%)
182, 41%, 63%
hwb(182 37% 37%)
41%, 1%, 0%, 37%
6266528
cadetblue
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Cadet Blue?
Cadet Blue is one of the named colors defined by the CSS Color specifications (keyword “cadetblue”), so every modern browser understands it without a hex code.
Its hue angle of 182° places it in the cyan part of the color wheel, with 25% saturation (soft) and 50% lightness (medium). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 56% of them and more saturated than 2% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.294, which makes it a mid-tone color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Cadet Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 50% and its relative luminance is 0.294. Black text reads best on it (6.88:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Cadet Blue
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 3.05:1 Limited | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 6.88:1 Good | Pass | Pass | Fail | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Cadet Blue
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Cadet Blue
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Cadet Blue
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (6.88:1 contrast with black)
- Calm backgrounds, editorial layouts and understated UI elements
- Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
- Headers and navigation bars
- Charts and dashboards
- Links, buttons and primary interface accents
Cadet Blue appears in these curated palettes: Deep Ocean (Blue Color Palettes), Deep Teal (Dark Color Palettes).
Use Cadet Blue in CSS
:root {
--color-cadet-blue: #5F9EA0;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-cadet-blue);
background-color: #5F9EA0;
border: 2px solid #5F9EA0;
}Questions about Cadet Blue
What is the HEX code for Cadet Blue?
Cadet Blue is #5F9EA0.
What is the RGB value of Cadet Blue?
The RGB value of Cadet Blue is 95, 158, 160: 95 red, 158 green and 160 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(95, 158, 160) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Cadet Blue?
The HSL value of Cadet Blue is 182°, 25%, 50% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(182, 25%, 50%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Cadet Blue?
A standard conversion gives about C 41%, M 1%, Y 0%, K 37%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Cadet Blue a light or dark color?
Cadet Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 50% and its relative luminance is 0.294. Black text reads best on it (6.88:1 contrast).
How does Cadet Blue look with white text?
White text on Cadet Blue has a contrast ratio of 3.05:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.
How does Cadet Blue look with black text?
Black text on Cadet Blue has a contrast ratio of 6.88:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Cadet Blue?
Dusky Rose is its complementary color, and Gray Teal sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Cadet Blue be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (6.88:1 contrast with black); calm backgrounds, editorial layouts and understated UI elements; large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough.
How do I use Cadet Blue in CSS?
Use color: #5F9EA0; for text, background-color: #5F9EA0; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-cadet-blue: #5F9EA0; and reuse it with var(--color-cadet-blue).
About this color page
CSS named color (W3C CSS Color Module). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.