#BAB8ADZen Pebble (#BAB8AD) is a grey neutral with an OKLCH hue of 98°, lightness 0.78 and chroma 0.015. In practice it behaves as a mid-weight working color for secondary surfaces and editorial blocks.
| HEX | #BAB8AD |
|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(186, 184, 173) |
| HSL | hsl(51, 9%, 70%) |
| HSV | hsv(51, 7%, 73%) |
| CMYK | cmyk(0%, 1%, 7%, 27%) |
| CIE Lab | lab(74.7 -1.3 5.8) |
| OKLCH | oklch(0.781 0.015 98) |
Under warm 2700K interior light Zen Pebble shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast; 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.
#c1b3a1 — ΔE 1.8, shifts subtly: takes on a orange cast#c0b9a9 — ΔE 1.1, shifts subtly: takes on a yellow cast#bab8ad — ΔE 0.0, is virtually unchanged#bab9b0 — ΔE 0.4, is virtually unchangedTest Zen Pebble 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 1.99:1 and against black 10.55:1, 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.
#f4f2e8 · #bab8ad · #a4a298 · #7f7d74 · #5b5951 · #393831
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.
#d1e7be · #c9d09f · #bab8ad · #bba173 · #ae8b68 · #9e7761
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.
#bab8ad · #89a08d · #847b4f · #3d6a47 · #4b431a · #192f1e
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.
#dfdccb · #bab8ad · #9c9679 · #555b89 · #3d3921 · #201d0f
The anchor as the only color in the room. True neutrals or complement-warmed near-neutrals let it stay dominant.
#f0f1f9 · #bab8ad · #9e9c92 · #5d5d63 · #29271d · #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.
#f3f2ee · #bab8ad · #44423c · #27251f · #060502 · #dcc54e
The opposite hue on the perceptual wheel, tempered to field strength — warm/cool tension without vibration.
#eef1ff · #bab8ad · #9399c1 · #545988 · #202245 · #040200
The complement's two neighbours instead of the complement itself — strong contrast with a lower clash risk.
#eef1ff · #bab8ad · #7f9fc0 · #6a527e · #072844 · #020005
Three hues spaced evenly around the wheel; the anchor leads and the other two are held at supporting strength.
#e2f6fc · #bab8ad · #71a5b5 · #794d6c · #3a1931 · #000408
Two complementary pairs offset by 90° — the richest chord, kept usable by a strict lightness hierarchy.
#e2f7f5 · #bab8ad · #6fa8a3 · #545988 · #401720 · #010007
#C4C2B8 · #CECCC4 · #D7D6CF · #E1E0DA · #ECEBE6
#98968C · #77766D · #585750 · #3B3A34 · #201F1A
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.