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Brown and GoldenRod

Contrasting color combination with 3.17:1 contrast ratio

#A52A2A
#DAA520

Color Values

Brown
HEX #A52A2A
RGB 165, 42, 42
HSL 0, 59%, 41%
GoldenRod
HEX #DAA520
RGB 218, 165, 32
HSL 43, 74%, 49%

Harmony: Contrasting

These colors sit far enough apart on the wheel to create clear contrast without falling into a named harmony. The pairing works through difference rather than relationship, which suits designs that want variety over cohesion.

The hue angle between Brown and GoldenRod is 43 degrees. You can explore these relationships interactively in our Color Wheel Tool.

WCAG Contrast

3.17:1
Brown background with GoldenRod text
AA large text only

UI Preview

Brown surface

Sample text on a brown background demonstrates readability and visual hierarchy.

GoldenRod surface

Sample text on a goldenrod background demonstrates readability and visual hierarchy.

Design Tokens

CSS Variables

:root {
  --color-a: #A52A2A;
  --color-b: #DAA520;
  --color-a-rgb: 165, 42, 42;
  --color-b-rgb: 218, 165, 32;
}

JSON

{
  "name": "Brown and GoldenRod",
  "colors": [
    {
      "name": "Brown",
      "hex": "#A52A2A",
      "rgb": [
        165,
        42,
        42
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "GoldenRod",
      "hex": "#DAA520",
      "rgb": [
        218,
        165,
        32
      ]
    }
  ],
  "harmony": "Contrasting",
  "contrastRatio": 3.17
}

Explore These Colors

Frequently Asked Questions

Do brown and goldenrod go together?

Yes. Brown and GoldenRod form a contrasting color combination. These colors sit far enough apart on the wheel to create clear contrast without falling into a named harmony. The pairing works through difference rather than relationship, which suits designs that want variety over cohesion. The pairing has a WCAG contrast ratio of 3.17:1, which passes AA for large text but not for body text.

What is the contrast ratio between brown and goldenrod?

The WCAG 2.1 contrast ratio between Brown (#A52A2A) and GoldenRod (#DAA520) is 3.17:1. This passes AA for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold) but not for normal-sized body text.

How do I use brown and goldenrod in design?

A safe starting point is the 60/30/10 rule: give one color about 60 percent of the surface area, the other about 30 percent, and reserve the remaining 10 percent for an accent or neutral. If one color is significantly darker, use it for text or structural elements and the lighter one for backgrounds. Test the result with our Contrast Checker if text is involved.

What are the hex and RGB values for brown and goldenrod?

Brown has the hex code #A52A2A and RGB values rgb(165, 42, 42). GoldenRod has the hex code #DAA520 and RGB values rgb(218, 165, 32). You can copy these directly into CSS or use the design tokens provided on this page.