Cabernet
Cabernet is a moderately saturated red shade with RGB(100, 36, 46) and hex code #64242E, reading as dark at a glance.
HEX
#64242E
RGB
100, 36, 46
HSL
351°, 47%, 27%
CMYK
0%, 64%, 54%, 61%
LAB
24, 30, 9
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Description
- •Cabernet (#64242E) is a warm-toned red color defined by RGB values of 100, 36, 46 and HSL values of 351 degrees hue, 47% saturation, and 27% lightness. At 27% lightness it appears dark, and its moderately saturated character makes it suitable as a strong accent or brand color. It pairs naturally with its complementary shade #24645A for high-contrast schemes, or with the analogous tones #643A24 and #64244E for a more harmonious palette.
Psychology
As a red shade, Cabernet tends to carry the general associations of that hue family: power, passion, danger, and urgency. Red is one of the first colors humans evolved to distinguish and is commonly linked with energy, urgency, and appetite.
Hue family
red
Saturation level
moderately saturated
Lightness level
dark
Temperature
warm
Because Cabernet is moderately saturated and dark, it tends to feel calm and unobtrusive in a design context.
Meaning
Within the red family, colors like Cabernet are commonly associated with power, passion, danger, and urgency, though exact interpretation depends on cultural context and surrounding design elements.
Hue family
red
Common associations
power, passion, danger, and urgency
Temperature
warm
History
- 1Cabernet is a named point in a modern digital color palette rather than a documented historical pigment, but the red family it belongs to has a long design history. Red is one of the first colors humans evolved to distinguish and is commonly linked with energy, urgency, and appetite.
Color info
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Visual perception
- At HSL(351, 47%, 27%), Cabernet has a relative luminance of about 0.04 on a 0-1 scale, which can make it harder to distinguish for people with red-green color blindness if used alongside similarly saturated greens or reds; pair it with a distinct lightness or add non-color cues such as icons or labels.
Technology specific
- Cabernet (#64242E) renders consistently on standard sRGB displays; on wider-gamut or uncalibrated screens, expect minor shifts in perceived saturation. For print reproduction, convert from RGB to CMYK and proof physically, since muted colors like this can shift noticeably between screen and print.
Guidance
Use Cabernet with white text for readability (contrast ratio approximately 11.5:1). It is versatile enough to use for larger surfaces such as backgrounds or cards.
Examples
web design
call-to-action buttons
branding
logo accent color
UI design
card and panel backgrounds
spot color for emphasis
Purpose
Cabernet works well for accent elements, buttons, and calls-to-action that need to stand out, given its moderately saturated and dark profile.
Benefits
visual contrast
pairs with white text for a WCAG contrast ratio of about 11.5:1
palette flexibility
combines with #24645A (complementary) and #2E6424/#242E64 (triadic) for varied schemes
brand consistency
reads as calm and neutral across most screens