Goldenrod
Also known as: Confident Yellow, Superstar, Toucan Gentleman, Golden Buddha Belly
A vivid yellow with a cheerful and optimistic character, Goldenrod works beautifully for summer palettes and highlights and warnings. Set it against a blue accent when you want the combination to pop. Accessibility-wise, it needs a dark backdrop — 13.73:1 on black clears AA.
Goldenrod color codes
- HEX
- #FDCB18
- RGB
- rgb(253, 203, 24)
- RGBA
- rgba(253, 203, 24, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(47, 98%, 54%)
- HSV
- hsv(47, 91%, 99%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(0%, 20%, 91%, 1%)
- LAB
- lab(84.3 8.1 81.8)
- OKLCH
- oklch(86.2% 0.173 90.2)
Color intelligence
Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
warm
Nearest standard colors
- CSS: gold#FFD700 · ΔE 3.9
- RAL 1018 — Zinc yellow#FACA30 · ΔE 1.3 · 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 Goldenrod works
- Web & UI: Best as a button fill, badge, or accent — pair it with white text only at large sizes, and check contrast.
- Interiors: Strong for a whole room, excellent in doses: an accent wall, cabinetry, or a statement chair.
- Fashion: Wears best as the statement piece — a top, scarf, or shoes — against neutral basics.
- Branding: High-energy brand material: strong for food, fitness, and youth-facing marks — use sparingly in UI.
- Web & UI: A supporting-cast color for UI: chart fills, tags, empty-state illustrations — not text.
- Branding: A secondary brand color by nature: it supports a stronger primary and shines in illustration.
Copy as — every ecosystem
Tints, shades, and tones of Goldenrod
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Color harmonies
Palettes built from Goldenrod by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split-complementary
Tetradic
Monochromatic
Contrast & accessibility
Aa — on white
contrast 1.53:1
AA failAAA failAA large fail
Aa — on black
contrast 13.73:1
AA passAAA passAA large pass
Best text color on a Goldenrod background: #000000
Palettes featuring Goldenrod
Goldenrod with its complement
Soft neighbors of Goldenrod
Goldenrod triad
Similar colors
- Superstar#FFCC11 · ΔE 0.4
- Orangina#FEC615 · ΔE 1.9
- Bumblebee#FFC82A · ΔE 2.0
- Egg Toast#F2C911 · ΔE 2.4
- Saffron#F4C430 · ΔE 2.5
- Marigold#FCC006 · ΔE 3.5
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Goldenrod is closest to Icy Plains.
Goldenrod FAQs
What color is Goldenrod?
Goldenrod is a medium yellow with the hex code #FDCB18. In HSL terms it has a hue of 47°, 98% saturation, and 54% lightness.
What is the hex code for Goldenrod?
The hex code for Goldenrod is #FDCB18. In RGB it's rgb(253, 203, 24), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 20%, 91%, 1%).
What colors go well with Goldenrod?
Goldenrod pairs naturally with blue tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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