Showa era
Eosine Pink & Neutral Gray
Plate 34 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Neutral Gray.
#b6bfc1
neutral · 12 palettes
Neutral Gray
About Neutral Gray
Neutral Gray is a light, near-neutral neutral tone. Its hex value is #b6bfc1 — that is
RGB 182, 191, 193, or HSL 191°, 8%, 74%.
It holds 11.2:1 contrast against dark, so Neutral Gray works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 1.9:1; on black 11.2:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Neutral Gray appears in 12 combinations — most often paired with Eosine Pink, Pale Lemon Yellow and Carmine Red.
Colours that go with Neutral Gray
As a light near-neutral, Neutral Gray sits comfortably beside almost any accent — the schemes below show the subtle, reliable pairings from a standard colour wheel.
Complementary
#b6bfc1 #C1B8B6
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#b6bfc1 #B6C1BE #B6BAC1
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#b6bfc1 #C1B6BF #BFC1B6
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#b6bfc1 #C1B6BA #C1BEB6
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Neutral Gray
Neutral Gray is a light, near-neutral tone (HSL 191°, 8%, 74%), which makes it a soft background or a light accent. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (11.2:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use dark lettering. Pair it with its complement (#C1B8B6) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#B6C1BE and #B6BAC1) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Neutral Gray
Neutral Gray appears in 12 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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