Colors That Go With Black
#1C1C1C · a near-black neutral
Black (#1C1C1C) — a near-black neutral — is a neutral, nearly neutral deep and grounding colour. It pairs best with complementary accent #213030, analogous (warmer) #211d17, and grounding neutrals, drawn from 780 historically-grounded combinations across 13 settings below.
Colour reference
- Hex
- #1C1C1C
- RGB
- 28, 28, 28
- CMYK
- 0, 0, 0, 89
- Temperature
- neutral
- Lightness
- deep and grounding (11%)
- Contrast on black text
- 16.3:1 (AAA)
Black by setting
Black for walls
On walls, use terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a wedding
For a wedding, pair it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a bedroom
In a bedroom, layer it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a living room
In a living room, ground it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a kitchen
In a kitchen, contrast it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for clothes
To wear with it, reach for terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for an outfit
Build the outfit around muted red. 60 matching combinations.
Black for cabinets
With cabinets, match it to terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a bathroom
In a bathroom, pair it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a nursery
In a nursery, soften it with terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Black for a front door
On a front door, contrast it with muted red. 60 matching combinations.
Black for an accent wall
On an accent wall, pair it with muted red. 60 matching combinations.
Black for curtains
For curtains, choose terracotta & clay. 60 matching combinations.
Combinations with black, from the 1933 Dictionary
Ao & White
The classical Japanese 'ao' — an ambiguous blue-green — against pure white.
Spring Green & Ink
Young shoot green against sumi ink — the two extremes of the Japanese calligrapher's world.
Edo Purple & Mouse Grey
The cool Edo purple worn by kabuki actors against mouse grey — theatrical understatement.
Ivory Buff & English Red +1
Plate 190 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Ivory Buff, English Red, Black.
Kite Brown & Gold
The warm brown of a kite's wing lit by afternoon gold.
Rosolanc Purple & Orange +1
Plate 144 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Rosolanc Purple, Orange, Black.
FAQ
What colors go with black?
Black (#1C1C1C) — a near-black neutral — is a neutral, nearly neutral deep and grounding colour. It pairs best with complementary accent #213030, analogous (warmer) #211d17, and grounding neutrals, drawn from 780 historically-grounded combinations across 13 settings below.
Is black warm or cool?
Black is a neutral colour — 0% saturation, 11% lightness. It reads as a backdrop colour — pair it with one saturated accent for contrast.
What is the hex code for black?
Black is #1C1C1C — RGB(28, 28, 28), CMYK(0, 0, 0, 89).
Other colors
Studio
Work with this colour
You have the hex code, the RGB/CMYK values and the computed partners for Black. These are the materials a colour study like this actually gets made with.
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When a palette leaves the screen, this is the shared vocabulary between you and the press. Coated and uncoated because the same ink is not the same colour on both.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
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This site hands you hex codes. Color Bridge is the deck that shows what an RGB or HTML value becomes as CMYK ink, and which Pantone spot sits nearest it — the translation step between a screen palette and a printed one. Coated and uncoated because the same ink is not the same colour on both stocks.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone GP6102B Color Bridge Guide Set Coated & Uncoated, Multi-Colour
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Library
Go deeper on colour
The colour-theory books behind pairings like Black — history, reference and the science of what works together.
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Torn between the two Wada dictionaries? Vol 1 vs Vol 2, compared plate by plate →
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