What colors are in the "Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray" palette?

Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray contains 2 colors: Ivory Buff (#ebd3a2), Mineral Gray (#a2b0ad). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray" palette created?

This palette is from Sanzo Wada's 1933 reference work "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada documented historical Japanese color combinations from the showa era and earlier periods. The source work is in the public domain.

What style or era does the "Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray" palette belong to?

Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray is associated with the showa era and emphasizes yellow tones. Plate 11 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Ivory Buff, Mineral Gray.

Can I use the "Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray" palette in my own design?

Yes. The source palette by Sanzo Wada (1933) is in the public domain. This page's curation and metadata are CC BY 4.0 licensed — attribution to colorcombinations.org appreciated but not required for the colors themselves.

Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 11 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A two-colour pairing of Ivory Buff, Mineral Gray, as documented in the original plates.

Historical context

This palette is inspired by the tradition of Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, which cataloged combinations drawn from centuries of Japanese cultural life. The specific colors here use traditional shikisai names that have been in the public domain for generations.

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Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: yellow
Moods: serene, austere
Colors: 2

Accessibility

WCAG contrast ratios between every color pair. Use the strongest combinations for text; the weakest ones make good decorative backgrounds.

Strongest pair: Ivory Buff on Mineral Gray — 1.54:1 (Fail)

Ivory Buff·Mineral Gray1.54:1Fail

How to read this

AAA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AAA for normal text — the highest accessibility bar.
AA: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for normal text. Standard production requirement.
AA Large: Passes WCAG 2.1 AA for large text only (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). Avoid for body copy.
Fail: Below WCAG 2.1 AA. Fine for decorative use — not for text.

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From the editorial · Long read

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What it actually means for color when a tradition values age over newness — the tea-room palette, three exemplars, and the anti-patterns to avoid.

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Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

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Sulpher Yellow & Pale King's Blue

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Ivory Buff & Mineral Gray

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

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Wabi-Sabi Color Theory: The Beauty of Things That Have Aged

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Sulpher Yellow & Pale King's Blue

Pale Lemon Yellow & Warm Gray

Sulpher Yellow & Light Mauve