Red Brown Color
Red Brown is a red color with hex code #8B2E16. This page covers its meaning, all color values, harmonies, colors that go with red brown, shades, tints, similar colors, CSS examples, FAQs, and WCAG contrast ratios.
Red Brown Color Values
What Does Red Brown Mean?
Red Brown belongs to the red family of colors. Reds grab attention faster than anything else on the spectrum. It's why clearance tags, warning signs, and buy buttons lean on red tones, and why painters reach for red when a focal point has to carry a composition. Reds also advance visually, stepping forward while cooler hues recede into the background. Being on the dark side, Red Brown adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
In the ISCC-NBS color naming system, Red Brown is classified as a brown (nearest centroid: strong reddish brown, #882D17). It is also known as Sugar-Candied Peanuts.
Color Harmonies
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Colors That Go With Red Brown
Red Brown and #16758D are complements, parked opposite each other on the wheel. Together they hit maximum contrast, so a rough 70/30 split keeps the pairing from shouting.
Analogous neighbors — #8D163A and #8D6916, which sit beside red brown on the wheel. Pairings like this feel calm and settled, which suits backgrounds and gradients.
For an energetic three-color palette, pair red brown with triadic partners #168D2E and #2E168D. All three sit evenly spaced around the wheel, so the scheme stays lively without clashing.
Build and test these combinations in our Color Wheel Tool or check text readability with the Contrast Checker.
Tints and Shades
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Similar Colors
- Prairie Sand —
#9A3820(Delta E 5) - Reddish Brown —
#7F2B0A(Delta E 5) - Pueblo —
#7D2C14(Delta E 6) - Oiled Cedar —
#7C1C05(Delta E 6) - Brownish Red —
#9E3623(Delta E 6)
CSS Examples
.text { color: #8B2E16; }
.background { background-color: #8B2E16; }
.border { border: 2px solid #8B2E16; }
.shadow { box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #8B2E1640; }WCAG Contrast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for red brown?
Red Brown has the hex code #8B2E16. In RGB notation it is rgb(139, 46, 22), in HSL it is hsl(12, 73%, 32%), and its OKLCH value is 0.436, 0.132, 35.2.
What does the color red brown mean?
Red-family colors like red brown carry distinct psychological associations. Red Brown belongs to the red family of colors. Reds grab attention faster than anything else on the spectrum. It's why clearance tags, warning signs, and buy buttons lean on red tones, and why painters reach for red when a focal point has to carry a composition. Reds also advance visually, stepping forward while cooler hues recede into the background. Being on the dark side, Red Brown adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
What colors go with red brown?
Red Brown has three easy routes: its complement #16758D for punch, its neighbors #8D163A and #8D6916 for something calmer, or triadic partners #168D2E and #2E168D when you want energy.
Is red brown a standard web color?
No — Red Brown is not a CSS keyword. Use its hex value #8B2E16 or any RGB/HSL equivalent in your stylesheets.
How do I make red brown lighter or darker?
To lighten red brown, add white to create tints; to darken it, add black to create shades. The tints and shades table above shows five computed steps of each, from #F7D7CE (lightest tint) to #160703 (darkest shade).
About Red Brown
Red Brown is classified as a Brown in the ISCC-NBS color naming system, within the Red hue family. It has alternative names including Sugar-Candied Peanuts. The color is recognized by XKCD, meodai.
Use our Color Converter to convert #8B2E16 to any other color format, or explore the Color Wheel to find harmonious color combinations.