Cold Wave
Also known as: Cold Well Water , Poolside , Aqua Whisper , Right as Rain
Part of the cyan family, Cold Wave pairs a pale base with a cool and clear presence. It belongs in healthcare apps and modern branding. Cold Wave plays well with pink tones. The harmonies below show which ones. Accessibility-wise, it needs a dark backdrop: 15.28:1 on black clears AA.
Reference
Cold Wave color codes
- HEX
- #C2E2E3
- RGB
- rgb(194, 226, 227)
- RGBA
- rgba(194, 226, 227, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(182, 37%, 83%)
- HSV
- hsv(182, 15%, 89%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(15%, 0%, 0%, 11%)
- LAB
- lab(87.6 -10.7 -4.2)
- OKLCH
- oklch(89.0% 0.034 198.9)
Analysis
Color intelligence
?
Gamut
The full range of colors a device or space can show. sRGB is the common screen gamut; Display P3 is wider. A color outside a gamut cannot be shown accurately there and must be mapped inward.Full glossary entry →Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
Undertone
?
neutral, leaning cool
subtle cyan undertone in this near-neutral
Nearest standard colors
?
Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →
?
Delta E (ΔE)
A measure of how different two colors look. Below 1 the difference is invisible to almost everyone; below 2.3 most people can't tell them apart; above 10 they are clearly different colors. We use CIEDE2000, the modern standard.Full glossary entry →- CSS: powderblue #B0E0E6 · ΔE 4.0
- RAL 7035: Light grey #CBD0CC · ΔE 9.8 · approximate
RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck. Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.
Where Cold Wave works
- Web & UI: Use it decoratively for dividers, chart series, and illustration accents, and let neutrals carry the type.
- Interiors: Use it where you want the eye to land: a front door, built-ins, or one bold wall.
- Fashion: One garment in this color carries an outfit; two starts to compete.
- Branding: The safest brand-primary family there is; differentiate with an unexpected accent.
- Branding: Best in a brand's supporting palette: packaging interiors, patterns, campaign accents.
Copy as: every ecosystem
Variations
Tints, shades, and tones of Cold Wave
?
Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →
?
Tint
A color mixed with white, which raises its lightness. Pink is a tint of red. Tints feel softer and more open than the base color.Full glossary entry →Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Harmonies
Color harmonies
?
Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →
?
Complementary colors
Two colors opposite each other on the wheel. They create the strongest contrast and make each other look more intense, so they work best used unevenly.Full glossary entry →Palettes built from Cold Wave by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split-complementary
Tetradic
Monochromatic
Accessibility
Contrast & accessibility
Aa on white
contrast 1.37:1
AA fail AAA fail AA large fail
Aa on black
contrast 15.28:1
AA pass AAA pass AA large pass
Best text color on a Cold Wave background: #000000
Palettes
Palettes featuring Cold Wave
Cold Wave with its complement
Soft neighbors of Cold Wave
Cold Wave triad
Explore
Similar colors
- Poolside #BEE0E2 · ΔE 0.8
- Peek-a-Blue #C5E1E1 · ΔE 1.1
- Swimming #C2E5E5 · ΔE 1.1
- Swan Lake #C5E5E2 · ΔE 1.9
- Icy Breeze #C4ECF0 · ΔE 2.9
- Teardrop #D1EAEA · ΔE 2.9
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Cold Wave is closest to Ballet .
FAQ
Cold Wave FAQs
What color is Cold Wave?
Cold Wave is a light cyan with the hex code #C2E2E3. In HSL terms it has a hue of 182°, 37% saturation, and 83% lightness.
What is the hex code for Cold Wave?
The hex code for Cold Wave is #C2E2E3. In RGB it's rgb(194, 226, 227), and in CMYK it's cmyk(15%, 0%, 0%, 11%).
What colors go well with Cold Wave?
Cold Wave pairs naturally with pink tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
Got a photo with a color like this? Identify it with the analyzer . Free, private, on your device.