Blue color · CSS named color
Light Steel Blue Color Code: #B0C4DE
The HEX code for Light Steel Blue is #B0C4DE. It is a light, soft azure color made of 176 red, 196 green and 222 blue (HSL 214°, 41%, 78%). Black text reads best on it (11.79:1 contrast).
Light Steel Blue color values
#B0C4DE
rgb(176, 196, 222)
hsl(214, 41%, 78%)
214, 21%, 87%
hwb(214 69% 13%)
21%, 12%, 0%, 13%
11584734
lightsteelblue
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Light Steel Blue?
Light Steel Blue is one of the named colors defined by the CSS Color specifications (keyword “lightsteelblue”), so every modern browser understands it without a hex code.
Its hue angle of 214° places it in the azure part of the color wheel, with 41% saturation (soft) and 78% lightness (light). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other blue colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 90% of them and more saturated than 15% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.540, which makes it a light color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Light Steel Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 78% and its relative luminance is 0.540. Black text reads best on it (11.79:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Light Steel Blue
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 1.78:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 11.79:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Light Steel 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 Light Steel 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 Light Steel Blue
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (11.79:1 contrast with black)
- Corporate, finance and software branding
- Headers and navigation bars
- Charts and dashboards
- Links, buttons and primary interface accents
Light Steel Blue appears in these curated palettes: Slate and Steel (Blue Color Palettes), Denim and Leather (Blue Color Palettes), Slate Dark UI (Dark Color Palettes), Cloud and Navy (Minimal Color Palettes), Dashboard (UI Color Palettes).
Use Light Steel Blue in CSS
:root {
--color-light-steel-blue: #B0C4DE;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-light-steel-blue);
background-color: #B0C4DE;
border: 2px solid #B0C4DE;
}Questions about Light Steel Blue
What is the HEX code for Light Steel Blue?
Light Steel Blue is #B0C4DE.
What is the RGB value of Light Steel Blue?
The RGB value of Light Steel Blue is 176, 196, 222: 176 red, 196 green and 222 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(176, 196, 222) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Light Steel Blue?
The HSL value of Light Steel Blue is 214°, 41%, 78% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(214, 41%, 78%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Light Steel Blue?
A standard conversion gives about C 21%, M 12%, Y 0%, K 13%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Light Steel Blue a light or dark color?
Light Steel Blue counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 78% and its relative luminance is 0.540. Black text reads best on it (11.79:1 contrast).
How does Light Steel Blue look with white text?
White text on Light Steel Blue has a contrast ratio of 1.78:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Light Steel Blue look with black text?
Black text on Light Steel Blue has a contrast ratio of 11.79:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Light Steel Blue?
Peach Puff is its complementary color, and Powder Blue sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Light Steel Blue be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (11.79:1 contrast with black); corporate, finance and software branding; headers and navigation bars.
How do I use Light Steel Blue in CSS?
Use color: #B0C4DE; for text, background-color: #B0C4DE; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-light-steel-blue: #B0C4DE; and reuse it with var(--color-light-steel-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.