#C9C1B1Oatmeal (#C9C1B1) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 85°, lightness 0.81 and chroma 0.024. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.
| HEX | #C9C1B1 |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(201, 193, 177) |
| HSL | hsl(40, 18%, 74%) |
| HSV | hsv(40, 12%, 79%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 4%, 12%, 21%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(78.3 0.1 9.1) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.813 0.024 85) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Oatmeal 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.
#d0bca5 — ΔE 1.8, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast, gains intensity#d0c2ad — ΔE 1.2, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast#c9c1b1 — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#c9c2b4 — ΔE 0.4, is virtually unchangedTest Oatmeal 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 1.79:1 and against black 11.75:1, 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.
#f8f1e3 · #c9c1b1 · #a9a193 · #827c6f · #5e584d · #3c372e
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.
#dce5b9 · #dad2a0 · #c9c1b1 · #cca77f · #bd9278 · #aa7e71
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.
#c9c1b1 · #98a891 · #968157 · #537145 · #5a4822 · #273621
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.
#ede5d5 · #c9c1b1 · #ab9e83 · #897d65 · #415580 · #2b2416
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#c9c1b1 · #a2a6ac · #78736a · #43454a · #201b12 · #010103
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.
#f4f1eb · #c9c1b1 · #a19d95 · #29251b · #080500 · #edbc4d
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#c9c1b1 · #9fa6b4 · #627398 · #31446e · #0d1a39 · #0e0600
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#c9c1b1 · #9fa6b4 · #507a92 · #483d69 · #001f30 · #010006
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#c9c1b1 · #96aaac · #467e84 · #59375c · #2a102c · #000304
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#c9c1b1 · #98aaa4 · #4c7f71 · #31446e · #310c1e · #000008
#D1C9BB · #D8D2C6 · #E0DBD0 · #E8E3DB · #EFECE5
#A59D8F · #817B6F · #605B50 · #413C33 · #232018
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.