Chestnut

HEX: #CD5C5C | Modern Palette

On White
3.98:1
FAIL
On Black
5.28:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#CD5C5C
RGB
205, 92, 92
HSL
0°, 53% ,58%
CMYK
0, 55, 55, 20

About Chestnut

Chestnut (#CD5C5C) is a color with RGB(205, 92, 92) and HSL(0°, 53.1%, 58.2%). It is commonly associated with Romantic moods. In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Logo. Its complementary color is #5CCDCD, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #5CCD5C and #5C5CCD. The name comes from chastaigne (Old French).

  • HEX: #CD5C5C
  • RGB: 205, 92, 92
  • HSL: 0°, 53.1%, 58.2%
  • Mood: Romantic
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Logo
  • Complementary color: #5CCDCD
  • Triadic colors: #5CCD5C, #5C5CCD
  • The name comes from chastaigne (Old French).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Chestnut #CD5C5C is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Chestnut #CD5C5C pairs with #5CCDCD as its complementary color, and #5CCD5C and #5C5CCD in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

CHESTNUT
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

CHESTNUT
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

CHESTNUT
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

CHESTNUT
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

CHESTNUT
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

CHESTNUT

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Chestnut #CD5C5C moves from dark #140606 tones through the base color to lighter #F9EBEB tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

CHESTNUT

Color Characteristics

Mood
Romantic
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Button Logo

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #8A8A57
Protanopia #70705D
Tritanopia #CD5C5C
Achromatopsia #808080

Frequently Asked Questions

Chestnut (#CD5C5C) is a color with RGB(205, 92, 92) and HSL(0°, 53.1%, 58.2%).

#CD5C5C pairs strongly with #5CCDCD as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#CD5C5C is suitable for Text, Button, Logo and works well with Warm styles.

#CD5C5C is commonly associated with Romantic.

The name Chestnut is linked to chastaigne from Old French, meaning chestnut (tree or nut).

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word chastaigne
Meaning chestnut (tree or nut)
Language Old French
First Recorded Use Late Middle English

History

The word 'chestnut' in English derives from the Old French 'chastaigne', which itself came from the Latin 'castanea'. The Latin term is believed to have originated from the Ancient Greek 'kastaneia' (καστάνεια), referring to the tree or its fruit. There are theories that the Greek word might have come from a place name, such as Castana in Pontus, where chestnuts were abundant. The color 'chestnut' as a descriptor for a reddish-brown hue, particularly for hair or horses, emerged later, likely in the 16th or 17th century, directly referencing the color of the nut's shell.

First Recorded Use

c. 1300-1400

Cultural Associations

Chestnuts have been a significant food source for millennia, especially in Southern Europe, Asia, and North America. They are often associated with autumn and winter holidays, particularly roasted chestnuts ('chestnuts roasting on an open fire'). In some cultures, chestnut trees are symbols of longevity and resilience. The color 'chestnut' is widely used to describe hair color (e.g., 'chestnut hair') and horse coat colors (e.g., 'chestnut horse'), indicating a rich reddish-brown. The phrase 'old chestnut' refers to a stale joke or story, likely originating from the idea of something that has been around for a long time, like an old chestnut tree or a well-worn nut.

Similar Named Colors

Fuzzy Wuzzy #CC6666 ΔE 2.64
Dark Terra Cotta #CC4E5C ΔE 4.42
Bittersweet Shimmer #BF4F51 ΔE 4.79
Cedar Chest #C95A49 ΔE 5.69

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #CD5C5C;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #CD5C5C;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #CD5C5C;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #CD5C5C,
        #5CCDCD
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #CD5C5C,
        #5CCDCD
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$chestnut: #CD5C5C;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$chestnut-r: 205;
$chestnut-g: 92;
$chestnut-b: 92;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $chestnut;
    color: rgba($chestnut-r, $chestnut-g, $chestnut-b, 0.8);
}