Dark Gray `#A9A9A9`

Also known as Dark Grey.

Dark Gray (#A9A9A9) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 90°, lightness 0.73 and chroma 0. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.

Color values

HEX	`#A9A9A9`
RGB	`rgb(169, 169, 169)`
HSL	`hsl(0, 0%, 66%)`
HSV	`hsv(0, 0%, 66%)`
CMYK	`cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 34%)`
CIE Lab	`lab(69.2 0 0)`
OKLCH	`oklch(0.735 0.000 90)`

How Dark Gray behaves under real light

Under warm 2700K interior light Dark Gray shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast, gains intensity; in north-facing or shaded light it is virtually unchanged. Overall drift across common illuminants is small (max ΔE ≈ 1.7), so it is a lighting-stable choice.

Warm interior (2700K incandescent / warm LED): → #b0a59e — ΔE 1.7, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast, gains intensity
Neutral LED (4000K task and retail lighting): → #afaaa5 — ΔE 1.1, shifts only faintly, with no single dominant change
Daylight (6500K standard daylight (reference)): → #a9a9a9 — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged
North light / shade (~7500K diffuse blue-sky light): → #a9aaab — ΔE 0.3, is virtually unchanged

Contrast & accessibility

Against white it measures 2.35:1 and against black 8.94:1, so black text is the stronger pairing. That pairing passes WCAG AA for body text. Avoid white text on this color entirely.

Palettes built from Dark Gray

Tonal

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.

#f2f2f2 · #c9c9c9 · #a9a9a9 · #7c7c7c · #595959 · #383838

Analogous

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.

#c9d6ac · #c1bf8d · #a9a9a9 · #b19166 · #a27b5e · #916858

Shifted

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.

#a9a9a9 · #7e917c · #7c6c41 · #385b34 · #43350b · #122310

Contrast

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.

#faf0d4 · #d2ccbc · #a9a9a9 · #91876b · #495784 · #322c1d

Quiet Support

The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.

#eff2f9 · #a9a9a9 · #918d84 · #53555a · #262319 · #010102

Bright Accent

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.

#f2f2f2 · #a9a9a9 · #3f3f3f · #222222 · #030303 · #e7c04d

Complementary

The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.

#edf2ff · #a9a9a9 · #7f8cb3 · #45537f · #172041 · #0b0500

Split-complementary

The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.

#edf2ff · #a9a9a9 · #6c93af · #5c4b79 · #00263d · #020006

Triadic

Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.

#e1f6fa · #a9a9a9 · #6198a2 · #6d4569 · #331631 · #000305

Tetradic

Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.

#e3f7f2 · #a9a9a9 · #649a8f · #45537f · #3a1322 · #000008

Tints, shades & muted variants

Tints

#b7b7b7 · #c6c6c6 · #d4d4d4 · #e2e2e2 · #f1f1f1

Shades

#8d8d8d · #717171 · #555555 · #383838 · #1c1c1c

Using Dark Gray

Its moderate chroma lets it work in mid-size areas — upholstery, secondary UI surfaces, editorial blocks — without overwhelming neighbors.