#B8B9CBCosmic (#B8B9CB) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 283°, lightness 0.79 and chroma 0.025. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.
| HEX | #B8B9CB |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(184, 185, 203) |
| HSL | hsl(237, 15%, 76%) |
| HSV | hsv(237, 9%, 80%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(9%, 9%, 0%, 20%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(75.6 3.2 -9.2) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.791 0.025 283) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Cosmic shifts subtly: takes on a magenta cast; in north-facing or shaded light it is virtually unchanged. Overall drift across common illuminants is small (max ΔE ≈ 2), so it is a lighting-stable choice.
#c0b4be — ΔE 2.0, shifts subtly: takes on a magenta cast#bfbac7 — ΔE 1.2, shifts subtly: takes on a purple cast#b8b9cb — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#b8bace — ΔE 0.4, is virtually unchangedTest Cosmic in the color lighting simulator — sweep it through daylight, warm 2700K light, 4000K LED, and shade alongside the rest of your palette.
Against white it measures 1.94:1 and against black 10.84:1, so black text is the stronger pairing. That pairing passes WCAG AA for body text. Avoid white text on this color entirely.
One color explored: close hues with real lightness and chroma structure, so the palette is the anchor through value rather than a set of colors.
#f0f0ff · #b8b9cb · #a0a0b1 · #7a7b8a · #575865 · #363742
The anchor's neighbours on the wheel — everything shares an undertone, so the chord carries color without anything having to be muted to get along.
#cbe4ff · #bacdfa · #b8b9cb · #ae9fce · #a58ab1 · #987794
The mid-gap pairing — sage and mustard, terracotta and olive. A foil rotated 40–65° toward warm or cool: too far to be kin, too near to argue, carried by temperature and a deliberate value offset.
#b8b9cb · #ab93a5 · #7879a3 · #7b5071 · #414164 · #382334
One deliberately opposed voice — a single restrained counterpoint across the wheel, or temperature against temperature where the anchor is too muted to carry a loud opposite.
#dcdded · #b8b9cb · #a09b64 · #747590 · #55566d · #393948
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#f3f2ea · #b8b9cb · #9d9ea8 · #60605b · #262630 · #010100
This color as a ground rather than a subject — its own restraint held across a narrow value band, carrying one saturated voice from the opposite temperature.
#f1f1f8 · #b8b9cb · #3e3e49 · #21212c · #03030a · #d5c84e
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#f4f3e2 · #b8b9cb · #a5a175 · #67612b · #2d2800 · #010007
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#f4f3e2 · #b8b9cb · #b69975 · #4e693c · #392200 · #000100
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#ffeee7 · #b8b9cb · #c09381 · #326d53 · #00301f · #0c0100
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#ffedee · #b8b9cb · #c19094 · #67612b · #002e2e · #040300
#C2C3D3 · #CCCDDA · #D6D6E2 · #E0E0EA · #EAEAF2
#9697A7 · #757684 · #565763 · #393A44 · #1E1E27
Its moderate chroma lets it work in mid-size areas — upholstery, secondary UI surfaces, editorial blocks — without overwhelming neighbors. In palettes it pairs most predictably with its tonal ramp and analogous neighbors; reserve the complementary hue for small, deliberate contrast.