A study in blue
Cornflower Blue
#6495ED
- Family
- Blue
- L
- 0.675
- C
- 0.141
- H
- 261°
Notes
Cornflower Blue is the colour of the European cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, and famously of the bottle Bombay Sapphire chose in 1986 to differentiate itself from clear-glass competitors. On the web it carries a 2000s nostalgia - early Blogger themes shipped it as a default link colour, but the hue holds up. As a friendly secondary accent it works against charcoal #1f2937 text, or as a hero wash beneath cream copy. Contrast against white sits just below AA at body sizes, so headlines 18px and above or large UI elements are its natural job. Terracotta alongside makes a Mediterranean palette that avoids the obvious navy-and-orange cliché.
Palette built around Cornflower Blue
Related colors
Frequently asked questions
What is Cornflower Blue?
Cornflower Blue is the colour of the European cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, and famously of the bottle Bombay Sapphire chose in 1986 to differentiate itself from clear-glass competitors. On the web it carries a 2000s nostalgia - early Blogger themes shipped it as a default link colour, but the hue holds up. Its hex code is #6495ED.
What are the tints and shades of Cornflower Blue?
uishades builds an 11-step OKLCH ramp for Cornflower Blue (#6495ED) - its lightest tints through its darkest shades - plus an 11-stop Tailwind scale (50–950), both keyed to the same 50–950 stops. Lightness steps stay evenly spaced and the hue stays stable, so the mid-tones don't go muddy.
What colors pair well with Cornflower Blue?
Its complementary color is #C28C00. Triadic partners are #E06F70 and #61AC56; analogous neighbours are #9885E6 and #00A4DD.
What are the OKLCH and RGB values of Cornflower Blue?
Cornflower Blue is #6495ED - OKLCH 0.675 0.141 261°, rgb(100 149 237), in the blue family.