Colors that go with slate gray

#708090 · cool neutral · hue 210° · best text: #000000

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

Ready-to-use palette

#708090
#1B2A4A
#AFEEEE
#9CAF88
#F5F5DC
#FAFAF9
#708090 #1b2a4a #afeeee #9caf88 #f5f5dc #fafaf9
#708090 #1B2A4A #AFEEEE #9CAF88 #F5F5DC #FAFAF9
Open in palette generator →Full slate gray page →

Best combinations — ranked

#1

Navy Blue #1B2A4A

· Same hue family as slate gray (Δh 11°) — guaranteed harmony
· UI contrast with the anchor (3.51:1, passes AA large text)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 35) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
3.5:1
vs slate gray
#2

Paleturquoise #AFEEEE

· Analogous hue (Δh ≈30°) — neighbors on the color wheel
· UI contrast with the anchor (3.14:1, passes AA large text)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 37) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
3.1:1
vs slate gray
#3

Sage Green #9CAF88

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈121°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Close value pairing (1.72:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Similar saturation (13% vs 20%) — both muted
contrast
1.7:1
vs slate gray
#4

Beige #F5F5DC

· Split-complementary angle (Δh ≈150°) — strong but softer than direct complement
· UI contrast with the anchor (3.66:1, passes AA large text)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 43) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
3.7:1
vs slate gray
#5

Warm Beige #E9DCC9

· Complementary hue (Δh ≈174°) — maximum hue contrast
· UI contrast with the anchor (3:1, passes AA large text)
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 35) — clear visual hierarchy
contrast
3.0:1
vs slate gray
#6

Taupe #8B7D6B

· Complementary hue (Δh ≈176°) — maximum hue contrast
· Close value pairing (1.01:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Similar saturation (13% vs 13%) — both muted
contrast
1.0:1
vs slate gray
#7

Lilac #C8A2C8

· Close value pairing (1.83:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Similar saturation (13% vs 26%) — both muted
contrast
1.8:1
vs slate gray
#8

Thistle #D8BFD8

· Close value pairing (2.39:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Strong lightness separation (ΔL* 27) — clear visual hierarchy
· Similar saturation (13% vs 24%) — both muted
contrast
2.4:1
vs slate gray
#9

Purple Grey #866F85

· Close value pairing (1.12:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Similar saturation (13% vs 9%) — both muted
contrast
1.1:1
vs slate gray
#10

Light Mauve #C292A1

· Triadic harmony (Δh ≈131°) — balanced three-way contrast
· Close value pairing (1.53:1) — use for large surfaces, not small text
· Similar saturation (13% vs 28%) — both muted
contrast
1.5:1
vs slate gray

Why these and not others

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

FAQ

What colors go with slate gray?

Navy Blue, Paleturquoise, Sage Green, Beige and Warm Beige rank highest for slate gray (#708090) 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 slate gray?

The complementary hue of slate gray (hue 210°) sits at hue 30°. The closest named colors on that side of the wheel are listed in the combinations above.

Is slate gray a warm or cool color?

Slate Gray is a cool color (hue 210°). It pairs naturally with crisp whites and cool grays.