What colors are in the "Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1" palette?

Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1 contains 3 colors: Spinel Red (#f27291), Ivory Buff (#ebd3a2), Light Grayish Olive (#848061). From Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933).

When was the "Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1" 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 "Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1" palette belong to?

Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1 is associated with the showa era and emphasizes red tones. Plate 184 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spinel Red, Ivory Buff, Light Grayish Olive.

Can I use the "Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1" 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.

Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1 — The Dictionary of Color Combinations

About this combination

Combination 184 of 348 in Wada's six-volume 1933 work. A 3-colour grouping of Spinel Red, Ivory Buff, Light Grayish Olive, 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.

Export

One click — no signup, no watermark.

Details

Era: Showa
Dominant hue: red
Moods: refined, warm
Colors: 3

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 Light Grayish Olive — 2.74:1 (Fail)

Spinel Red·Ivory Buff1.89:1Fail
Spinel Red·Light Grayish Olive1.45:1Fail
Ivory Buff·Light Grayish Olive2.74:1Fail

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.

Embed this palette

Add this swatch strip to any blog post, Notion page, or website. It links back here automatically.

<iframe src="https://colorcombinations.org/embed/wada-184-spinel-red-ivory-buff/" width="320" height="80" frameborder="0" style="border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;" title="Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1 color palette — colorcombinations.org"></iframe>

Preview

From the editorial · Long read

The Four Reds: Kurenai, Akane, Shu, Entan

Why Japanese tradition distinguishes safflower crimson from madder from vermilion from lead red — and which to reach for when the brief asks for 'a Japanese red.'

Read the article →

Other palettes in Color Palettes for Websites.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.

Edo era

Pale Blue & Vermillion— 浅葱と朱

The faded blue of Shinsengumi jackets against shrine-gate vermillion — restrained power.

Muromachi era

Celadon & Unbleached— 青磁と生成

Celadon pottery green beside the unbleached warmth of raw silk.

Edo era

Indigo Blue & Silver— 縹と銀

Mid-grade indigo with the quiet sheen of silver — an understated Edo merchant robe.

Muromachi era

Grass Yellow & Rikyū Grey— 刈安と利休鼠

Wild grass yellow tempered by the muted grey favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyū.

Heian era

Royal Purple & Silver— 紫と銀

Imperial purple set against lunar silver — Heian courtly luxury at its quietest.

See the full color palettes for websites collection →

Related combinations

Three palettes with a similar feel.

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Plate 6 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Plate 16 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vandyke Red, Pale King's Blue.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green

Plate 17 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Sea Green.

Spinel Red & Ivory Buff +1

About this combination

Historical context

Embed this palette

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.

The Four Reds: Kurenai, Akane, Shu, Entan

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

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green