Pesto
Also known as: Mulgore Mustard, Warm Olive, Lively Lime, Hep Green
Pesto is a medium, lively yellow that reads as sunny and uplifting. It shines in kids' apps and summer palettes. Its complement lands in blue territory, which makes for striking two-color pairings. Accessibility-wise, it needs a dark backdrop — 9.71:1 on black clears AA.
Pesto color codes
- HEX
- #C1B23E
- RGB
- rgb(193, 178, 62)
- RGBA
- rgba(193, 178, 62, 1)
- HSL
- hsl(53, 51%, 50%)
- HSV
- hsv(53, 68%, 76%)
- CMYK
- cmyk(0%, 8%, 68%, 24%)
- LAB
- lab(72.3 -4.3 58.4)
- OKLCH
- oklch(75.5% 0.135 101.9)
Color intelligence
Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.
Temperature
warm
Nearest standard colors
- CSS: darkkhaki#BDB76B · ΔE 6.5
- RAL 1012 — Lemon yellow#DDAF27 · ΔE 8.7 · 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 Pesto 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 Pesto
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Color harmonies
Palettes built from Pesto 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 2.16:1
AA failAAA failAA large fail
Aa — on black
contrast 9.71:1
AA passAAA passAA large pass
Best text color on a Pesto background: #000000
Palettes featuring Pesto
Pesto with its complement
Soft neighbors of Pesto
Pesto triad
Similar colors
- Hey Pesto#BEA932 · ΔE 2.9
- Greenfinch#BDA928 · ΔE 3.0
- Old Gold#CFB53B · ΔE 3.4
- Vegas Gold#C5B358 · ΔE 3.4
- Brass#B5A642 · ΔE 3.8
- Sulphur#CAB012 · ΔE 4.4
Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Pesto is closest to Cold Lips.
Pesto FAQs
What color is Pesto?
Pesto is a medium yellow with the hex code #C1B23E. In HSL terms it has a hue of 53°, 51% saturation, and 50% lightness.
What is the hex code for Pesto?
The hex code for Pesto is #C1B23E. In RGB it's rgb(193, 178, 62), and in CMYK it's cmyk(0%, 8%, 68%, 24%).
What colors go well with Pesto?
Pesto pairs naturally with blue tones from its complementary harmony. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.
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