#DCDCDCGainsboro (#DCDCDC) is a near-white neutral with an OKLCH hue of 90°, lightness 0.89 and chroma 0. In practice it behaves as a background color — quiet over large surfaces.
| HEX | #DCDCDC |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(220, 220, 220) |
| HSL | hsl(0, 0%, 86%) |
| HSV | hsv(0, 0%, 86%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 14%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(87.8 0 0) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.894 0.000 90) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Gainsboro 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 ≈ 2.1), so it is a lighting-stable choice.
#e5d7ce — ΔE 2.1, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast, gains intensity#e4ddd7 — ΔE 1.3, shifts only faintly, with no single dominant change#dcdcdc — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#dcdddf — ΔE 0.4, is virtually unchangedAgainst white it measures 1.37:1 and against black 15.31:1, 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.
#f2f2f2 · #dcdcdc · #a2a2a2 · #7c7c7c · #595959 · #383838
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.
#dcdcdc · #e5c295 · #d8ab8b · #c79683 · #b3827d · #9e7077
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.
#dcdcdc · #afc2ac · #ac9b6f · #658a60 · #6f6038 · #3a4c37
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.
#dcdcdc · #beb8a9 · #a0967a · #495784 · #413822 · #231d0f
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#dcdcdc · #bcbfc6 · #89857c · #4e5055 · #242017 · #010102
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.
#dcdcdc · #9c9c9c · #3f3f3f · #222222 · #030303 · #e7c04d
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#dcdcdc · #b9bfce · #7784ab · #404e7a · #151e3f · #0b0500
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#dcdcdc · #b9bfce · #648ba6 · #574674 · #002439 · #020006
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#dcdcdc · #afc3c7 · #59909a · #674164 · #31142f · #000305
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#dcdcdc · #b0c4bf · #5c9287 · #404e7a · #38111f · #000008
#e2e2e2 · #e8e8e8 · #eeeeee · #f3f3f3 · #f9f9f9
#b7b7b7 · #939393 · #6e6e6e · #494949 · #252525
Its high lightness and low chroma make it a natural background or large-surface color.