Colors that go with ivory

#FFFFF0 · warm neutral · hue 60° · best text: #000000

Ten combinations ranked by measurable criteria — hue harmony, WCAG contrast with ivory, lightness spread and saturation compatibility. Every pairing lists why it works.

Ready-to-use palette

#FFFFF0
#373E02
#4B382A
#2F4F4F
#36454F
#1C1917
#fffff0 #373e02 #4b382a #2f4f4f #36454f #1c1917
#FFFFF0 #373E02 #4B382A #2F4F4F #36454F #1C1917
Open in palette generator →Full ivory page →

Best combinations — ranked

#1

Dark Olive #373E02

· Same hue family as ivory (Δh 7°) — guaranteed harmony
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (11.24:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 75) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
11.2:1
vs ivory
#2

Espresso #4B382A

· Analogous hue (Δh ≈35°) — neighbors on the color wheel
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.97:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 74) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
11.0:1
vs ivory
#3

Darkslategray #2F4F4F

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈120°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (8.85:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 68) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
8.8:1
vs ivory
#4

Charcoal #36454F

· Split-complementary angle (Δh ≈144°) — strong but softer than direct complement
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (9.81:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 71) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
9.8:1
vs ivory
#5

Midnight #03012D

· Complementary hue (Δh ≈177°) — maximum hue contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (19.9:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 98) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
19.9:1
vs ivory
#6

Dark Teal #014D4E

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈121°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (9.58:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 71) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
9.6:1
vs ivory
#7

Dark Turquoise #045C5A

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈119°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (7.76:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 65) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
7.8:1
vs ivory
#8

Dark Brown #341C02

· Analogous hue (Δh ≈29°) — neighbors on the color wheel
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (15.85:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 87) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
15.8:1
vs ivory
#9

Evergreen #05472A

· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (10.72:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 74) — clear visual hierarchy
· Similar saturation (100% vs 87%) — both vivid
contrast
10.7:1
vs ivory
#10

Eggplant #380835

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈116°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Text-safe contrast with the anchor (16.6:1, passes WCAG AA)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 89) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
16.6:1
vs ivory

Why these and not others

Pairings are scored against hue-harmony angles (0°/30°/60°/90°/120°/150°/180°), WCAG contrast ratio with ivory, lightness separation and saturation/chroma compatibility. Near-identical colors (ΔE₀₀ < 3.5) are excluded — every entry adds real information.

FAQ

What colors go with ivory?

Dark Olive, Espresso, Darkslategray, Charcoal and Midnight rank highest for ivory (#FFFFF0) by hue harmony, contrast and saturation compatibility. The full ranked list is on this page with the reasoning for each pairing.

What is the complementary color of ivory?

The complementary hue of ivory (hue 60°) sits at hue 240°. The closest named colors on that side of the wheel are listed in the combinations above.

Is ivory a warm or cool color?

Ivory is a warm color (hue 60°). It pairs naturally with warm neutrals and earthy tones.