#B6B0A9Mercurial (#B6B0A9) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 72°, lightness 0.76 and chroma 0.012. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.
| HEX | #B6B0A9 |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(182, 176, 169) |
| HSL | hsl(32, 8%, 69%) |
| HSV | hsv(32, 7%, 71%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 3%, 7%, 29%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(72.1 0.9 4.3) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.760 0.012 72) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Mercurial 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 ≈ 1.8), so it is a lighting-stable choice.
#bdab9e — ΔE 1.8, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast, gains intensity#bcb1a5 — ΔE 1.1, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast#b6b0a9 — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#b6b1ab — ΔE 0.3, is virtually unchangedTest Mercurial 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 2.15:1 and against black 9.77:1, 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.
#f6f1eb · #cec8c1 · #b6b0a9 · #817c76 · #5d5853 · #3b3733
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.
#dddaae · #d6c293 · #b6b0a9 · #c19475 · #af7f6f · #9a6d6a
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.
#b6b0a9 · #8d967d · #8c6f4a · #4f5f2e · #513816 · #202710
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.
#ded2c5 · #b6b0a9 · #6d92bc · #5e4c37 · #3f301d · #20160a
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#edf2f9 · #b6b0a9 · #9b948b · #575a5e · #2a241b · #010204
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.
#f4f1ee · #b6b0a9 · #494642 · #2d2925 · #0c0805 · #f4ad4a
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#e9f3ff · #b6b0a9 · #7b98ba · #395c83 · #092643 · #120600
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#e9f3ff · #b6b0a9 · #6b9eb0 · #535483 · #002a36 · #010007
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#e2f7f6 · #b6b0a9 · #68a19f · #684d78 · #2f1b3b · #000202
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#e5f7ed · #b6b0a9 · #74a18a · #395c83 · #39172d · #00020b
#C0BBB5 · #CBC6C1 · #D6D2CD · #E1DDDA · #EBE9E6
#959089 · #75716B · #57534E · #3B3733 · #201E1A
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.