Colors that go with Universal Khaki for an accent wall
Universal Khaki · #CBBBA1
Universal Khaki (#CBBBA1) — warm tan neutral — Sherwin-Williams's 2026 colour of the year, SW 6150 (swatch is an honest sRGB approximation — the official code is authoritative) — pairs best with muted red, teal, terracotta & clay, and deep charcoal. On an accent wall, pair it with muted red, drawn from 8 historically-grounded combinations below.
An accent wall is where you go stronger than the rest of the room — one decisive partner carries it, so favour depth over a full spread.
About universal khaki
Universal Khaki is warm tan neutral — Sherwin-Williams's 2026 colour of the year, SW 6150 (swatch is an honest sRGB approximation — the official code is authoritative) — a gently muted, warm colour that reads as light and airy. As a warm tone it looks most resolved next to cool and neutral partners that temper its warmth, and it needs deeper shades nearby for the value contrast the eye reads as finished. That balance is what makes it feel bold in an accent wall.
- HEX
- #CBBBA1
- RGB
- 203, 187, 161
- HSL
- 37°, 29%, 71%
- CMYK
- 0, 8, 21, 20
Accessibility: put dark text on universal khaki for AAA legibility (contrast 9.3:1 against near-black).
Why universal khaki pairs with muted red, teal, terracotta & clay, and deep charcoal
Across the 8 historical combinations below, universal khaki sits most often beside muted red, teal, terracotta & clay, and deep charcoal. That tracks with colour theory: a warm, light tone like this one wants cool and neutral partners that temper its warmth so the scheme feels intentional rather than flat, and deeper partners supply the light-to-dark range the eye needs. An accent wall is where you go stronger than the rest of the room — one decisive partner carries it, so favour depth over a full spread.
- muted red
- teal
- terracotta & clay
- deep charcoal
Using universal khaki in an accent wall
On an accent wall, pair it with muted red and teal. Because universal khaki is light and airy, it can cover larger surfaces, with deep charcoal added for depth.
8 combinations with universal khaki, from the 1933 Dictionary
Hay's Russet & Ecru +2
Plate 249 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Ecru, Olive Ocher, Dark Medici Blue.
#c2ae93 #793327 #d6b43e #547076
Etruscan Red & Ecru +2
Plate 275 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Etruscan Red, Ecru, Madder Brown, Taupe Brown.
#c2ae93 #c55347 #762c19 #7a4456
Raw Sienna & Vinaceous Cinnamon +2
Plate 279 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Vinaceous Cinnamon, Ecru, Dark Tyrian Blue.
#c2ae93 #bb7125 #eea78c #12354e
Carmine Red & Orange Yellow +2
Plate 338 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine Red, Orange Yellow, Dusky Green, Grayish Lavender - B.
#c0a9b3 #a62c37 #fcb315 #004f46
Fawn & Scarlet +2
Plate 308 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Fawn, Scarlet, English Red, Cobalt Green.
#d1b0a7 #cb2f43 #d96629 #96d1aa
Pompeian Red & Olympic Blue +2
Plate 324 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pompeian Red, Olympic Blue, Aconite Violet, Neutral Gray.
#b6bfc1 #ab2439 #5a82b3 #a36aa5
Peach Red & Sea Green +2
Plate 340 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Peach Red, Sea Green, Neutral Gray, Black.
#b6bfc1 #f15a30 #00b49b #111314
Cream Yellow & Ecru +2
Plate 302 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Cream Yellow, Ecru, Nile Blue, Antwarp Blue.
#c2ae93 #fdbf68 #bce4e5 #007190
Universal Khaki in other settings
Other colors
Studio
Work with this pairing
You have the hex codes for Universal Khaki for an accent wall. These are the materials a colour study like this actually gets made with.
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Pantone
Formula Guide — coated & uncoated
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.
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Pantone
Color Bridge Guide Set — coated & uncoated
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.
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