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Cadet Blue

#A8AFBD

Cadet Blue is a cool light color with the hex code #A8AFBD. This muted hue can be represented as RGB 168, 175, 189 in digital design or CMYK 11%, 7%, 0%, 26% for print applications. Find matching Pantone color.

Cadet Blue color values

HEX
#A8AFBD
RGB
168, 175, 189
HSL
220°, 14%, 70%
CMYK
11, 7, 0, 26

Shades & tints

Darker Lighter

About this color

Cadet Blue sits at 220° on the color wheel with 14% saturation and 70% lightness, placing it in the blue segment of the spectrum. Its restrained 14% saturation keeps the hue subtle — present but not assertive, making it easy to layer over or under more expressive colors. At medium-high lightness, it holds its own on white backgrounds while remaining approachable.

In digital environments, Cadet Blue is rendered as rgb(168, 175, 189), where the blue channel is highest at 189, though it sits close to the other channels. Muted saturation at high lightness is a classic formula for soft background fills, placeholder states, and secondary surface colors in light-mode interfaces.

For print, Cadet Blue translates to a CMYK breakdown of 11C 7M 0Y 26K. With a moderate key (26%), this color uses black to deepen the chromatic channels rather than replace them, a profile that typically holds up well in both offset and digital print. No brands in the brandkit.pro library currently specify this exact hex as a named brand color.

Color harmonies

Complementary

Split-Complementary

How to use Cadet Blue

CSS Variable 

:root {
  --brand-primary: #A8AFBD;
  --brand-primary-rgb: 168, 175, 189;
}

Define as a CSS custom property for consistent theming across your site.

Tailwind Config 

colors: {
  brand: '#A8AFBD',
}

Add to your Tailwind config to use classes like bg-brand.

Print Design (CMYK) 

C: 11%
M: 7%
Y: 0%
K: 26%

Use these CMYK values in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or print specifications.

RGB for Screens 

rgb(168, 175, 189)
rgba(168, 175, 189, 0.8)

Use RGB notation for compatibility or add alpha channel for transparency.

Frequently asked questions

What color is #A8AFBD?
#A8AFBD is Cadet Blue, a cool light color with RGB values of 168, 175, 189. It has a hue of 220°, 14% saturation, and 70% lightness in the HSL color space.
What is the RGB value of #A8AFBD?
The RGB color code for #A8AFBD is rgb(168, 175, 189). This means it contains 168 red, 175 green, and 189 blue in the RGB color model.
Is Cadet Blue a warm or cool color?
Cadet Blue (#A8AFBD) is a cool color with a hue between 120-300° on the color wheel.
How do I use #A8AFBD in CSS?
You can use #A8AFBD in CSS with: background-color: #A8AFBD; or color: #A8AFBD; or as an RGB value: rgb(168, 175, 189). For print design, use CMYK: 11%, 7%, 0%, 26%.

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