Pale Goldenrod

HEX: #EEE8AA | Modern Palette

On White
1.25:1
FAIL
On Black
16.76:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#EEE8AA
RGB
238, 232, 170
HSL
54°, 66% ,80%
CMYK
0, 3, 29, 7

About Pale Goldenrod

Pale Goldenrod (#EEE8AA) is a color with RGB(238, 232, 170) and HSL(54.7°, 66.7%, 80%). It is commonly associated with Playful moods. In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Background. Its complementary color is #AAB0EE, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #AAEEE8 and #E8AAEE. The name comes from Pale Goldenrod (English).

  • HEX: #EEE8AA
  • RGB: 238, 232, 170
  • HSL: 54.7°, 66.7%, 80%
  • Mood: Playful
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Background
  • Complementary color: #AAB0EE
  • Triadic colors: #AAEEE8, #E8AAEE
  • The name comes from Pale Goldenrod (English).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

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

Complementary

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

Analogous

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

Triadic

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

Split-Complementary

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

Tetradic (Square)

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

Monochromatic

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

Shades & Tints

A seamless scale of #EEE8AA from deepest shade to lightest tint.

Color Characteristics

Mood
Playful
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Button Background

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #EAEAAA
Protanopia #E9E9AA
Tritanopia #F5E1E1
Achromatopsia #E6E6E6

Frequently Asked Questions

Pale Goldenrod (#EEE8AA) is a color with RGB(238, 232, 170) and HSL(54.7°, 66.7%, 80%).

#EEE8AA pairs strongly with #AAB0EE as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#EEE8AA is suitable for Text, Button, Background and works well with Warm styles.

#EEE8AA is commonly associated with Playful.

The name Pale Goldenrod is linked to Pale Goldenrod from English, meaning A light, desaturated shade of yellow, reminiscent of the goldenrod plant but much lighter..

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Pale Goldenrod
Meaning A light, desaturated shade of yellow, reminiscent of the goldenrod plant but much lighter.
Language English
First Recorded Use Late 19th - Early 20th Century (as a named color)

History

The color 'goldenrod' itself is named after the plant of the same name, known for its bright yellow flowers. As with many natural colors, variations like 'pale goldenrod' emerged to describe lighter or less saturated versions. The standardization of 'Pale Goldenrod' as a specific web color (with hex #eee8aa) makes it a distinct entity in digital design. It's part of the extended X11 color set, which was later adopted by web browsers.

First Recorded Use

The specific named color 'Pale Goldenrod' with its hex code #eee8aa is a relatively modern standardization, particularly prominent with the advent of web colors and digital color systems. However, descriptions of 'pale goldenrod' as a color would have existed earlier. The X11 color name 'PaleGoldenrod' was introduced as part of the X Window System's color database, which became widely used in computing.

Cultural Associations

In general, pale yellows and golds are often associated with softness, warmth, light, and sometimes vintage aesthetics. 'Pale Goldenrod' specifically, due to its digital standardization, is frequently encountered in web design, user interfaces, and digital art where a subtle, warm, and light yellow is desired. It's less assertive than a pure yellow or a vibrant goldenrod, making it suitable for backgrounds or accents.

Similar Named Colors
Vanilla #F3E5AB ΔE 2.66
Blond #FAF0BE ΔE 3.67
Pale Spring Bud #ECEBBD ΔE 4.00
Lemon Meringue #F6EABE ΔE 4.83

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #EEE8AA;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #EEE8AA;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #EEE8AA;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #EEE8AA,
        #AAB0EE
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #EEE8AA,
        #AAB0EE
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$pale-goldenrod: #EEE8AA;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$pale-goldenrod-r: 238;
$pale-goldenrod-g: 232;
$pale-goldenrod-b: 170;

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