Rufous

HEX: #A81C07 | Modern Palette

On White
7.41:1
PASS
On Black
2.83:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#A81C07
RGB
168, 28, 7
HSL
7°, 92% ,34%
CMYK
0, 83, 96, 34

About Rufous

Rufous (#A81C07) is a color with RGB(168, 28, 7) and HSL(7.8°, 92%, 34.3%). It is commonly associated with Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is #0793A8, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #07A81C and #1C07A8. The name comes from rūfus (Latin).

  • HEX: #A81C07
  • RGB: 168, 28, 7
  • HSL: 7.8°, 92%, 34.3%
  • Mood: Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: #0793A8
  • Triadic colors: #07A81C, #1C07A8
  • The name comes from rūfus (Latin).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Rufous #A81C07 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.
 
RUFOUS
 
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
RUFOUS
 
 
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

Rufous #A81C07 pairs with #0793A8 as its complementary color, and #07A81C and #1C07A8 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.

RUFOUS
Analogous

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

RUFOUS
Triadic

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

RUFOUS
Split-Complementary

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

RUFOUS
Tetradic (Square)

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

RUFOUS
Monochromatic

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

RUFOUS

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Rufous #A81C07 moves from dark #180401 tones through the base color to lighter #FEEAE7 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

RUFOUS

Color Characteristics

Mood
Bold
Style
Vivid Warm
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #626200
Protanopia #41410C
Tritanopia #A81A1A
Achromatopsia #555555

Frequently Asked Questions

Rufous (#A81C07) is a color with RGB(168, 28, 7) and HSL(7.8°, 92%, 34.3%).

#A81C07 pairs strongly with #0793A8 as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#A81C07 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Warm styles.

#A81C07 is commonly associated with Bold.

The name Rufous is linked to rūfus from Latin, meaning red, reddish, ruddy.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word rūfus
Meaning red, reddish, ruddy
Language Latin
First Recorded Use Late Middle English

History

The word 'rufous' entered English from the Latin 'rūfus'. It was primarily used in scientific and descriptive contexts, particularly in ornithology and zoology, to describe the reddish-brown or rusty coloration of animals. Its use became more common as natural history studies advanced, requiring precise terminology for color descriptions. It is a direct descendant of the Latin term without significant intermediate linguistic changes in its core meaning.

First Recorded Use

late 14th century

Cultural Associations

While 'rufous' is a descriptive term, it doesn't carry significant cultural connotations beyond its literal meaning of color. It is widely recognized within scientific communities, especially among birdwatchers and naturalists, as a specific shade of reddish-brown. It is less common in everyday speech compared to 'red' or 'brown'.

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Mordant Red 19 #AE0C00 ΔE 1.37
Dark Candy Apple Red #A40000 ΔE 2.41
International Orange (engineering) #BA160C ΔE 3.50
Crimson Red #990000 ΔE 4.21

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #A81C07;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #A81C07;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #A81C07;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #A81C07,
        #0793A8
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #A81C07,
        #0793A8
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$rufous: #A81C07;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$rufous-r: 168;
$rufous-g: 28;
$rufous-b: 7;

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