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Charcoal vs Cerulean: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Charcoal and Cerulean is hue — Charcoal is a cool blue, while Cerulean is a cool cyan. Charcoal (#36454F) has an HSL of 204°, 19%, 26%, whereas Cerulean (#007BA7) sits at 196°, 100%, 33%.

Charcoal#36454F
Cerulean#007BA7
#36454FBlended: #1B607B#007BA7
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Charcoal vs Cerulean: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Charcoal Cerulean
BrightnessDark (L=26%) — rich, serious, substantialDark (L=33%) — rich, serious, substantial
SaturationMuted (S=19%) — subdued, sophisticatedVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching
Hue familyBlueCyan
TemperatureCoolCool
Hex code#36454F#007BA7
RGB54, 69, 790, 123, 167

Can you use Charcoal and Cerulean together?

Cerulean text on Charcoal
Charcoal text on Cerulean
Contrast Ratio:2.07:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Charcoal and Cerulean Apart

  • ●Check saturation: Cerulean looks more vivid and saturated.
  • ●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

Charcoal or Cerulean: Which to Use and Where

Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.

◆Branding & logos
PickCerulean

Cerulean is more saturated (100% HSL vs 19%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Charcoal can feel washed out when printed small.

▢Web UI & body text backgrounds
PickCharcoal

Charcoal hits a 9.90:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Cerulean only reaches 4.78:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.

⬡Fashion & apparel
PickCerulean

Cerulean is a cool-leaning tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Charcoal leans cooler and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.

▣Interior design & walls
PickCharcoal

Charcoal is the more muted of the two (19% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Cerulean's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.

When to Use Charcoal vs Cerulean in Design

Use Charcoal for:
●Tech and corporate trust
●Finance and banking brands
●Links and primary buttons
●Medical and professional UI
●Calm dependable visuals
Use Cerulean for:
●Cool, techy, digital branding
●Water, ice, cleaning products
●Fresh modern UI accents
●Summer and tropical themes
●Youthful playful design

Charcoal and Cerulean Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Charcoal#36454F

Charcoal (#36454F) is a dark, muted blue with a cool undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and subdued, sophisticated.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
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Cerulean#007BA7

Cerulean (#007BA7) is a dark, vivid cyan with a cool undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX
RGB
HSL
HSV
CMYK
PANTONE
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Charcoal and Cerulean WCAG Contrast Ratios

Text legibility depends on the contrast ratio between foreground and background. WCAG 2.1 AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Use these numbers to choose accessible combinations for your design.

Sample text preview
Charcoal text on white
9.9:1AAA
Sample text preview
Charcoal text on black
2.12:1Fail
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on white
4.78:1AA
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on black
4.39:1AA Large
Sample text preview
Charcoal text on Cerulean
2.07:1Fail
Sample text preview
Cerulean text on Charcoal
2.07:1Fail

Explore Charcoal and Cerulean individually

Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.

Charcoal color page#36454F · shades, tints, pairingsCerulean color page#007BA7 · shades, tints, pairings

More Charcoal and Cerulean Comparisons

GreyvsCharcoalTealvsCeruleanGrayvsCharcoalAzurevsCeruleanCharcoalvsNavyCeruleanvsAzureCharcoalvsTealCeruleanvsCobaltNavyvsCharcoalSky BluevsCeruleanCharcoalvsGoldCharcoalvsSage

Charcoal vs Cerulean FAQ

What is the difference between charcoal and cerulean?+
The main difference between Charcoal and Cerulean is hue — Charcoal is a cool blue, while Cerulean is a cool cyan. Charcoal (#36454F) has an HSL of 204°, 19%, 26%, whereas Cerulean (#007BA7) sits at 196°, 100%, 33%.
Is charcoal darker than cerulean?+
Yes. Charcoal is darker, with a lightness of 26% in HSL compared to Cerulean at 33% — a 7-point gap.
Are charcoal and cerulean the same color?+
No. Charcoal is #36454F and Cerulean is #007BA7. They differ by 8° in hue, 7% in lightness, and 81% in saturation.
Which is more saturated, charcoal or cerulean?+
Cerulean is more saturated. In HSL, Charcoal has 19% saturation and Cerulean has 100% — Cerulean is the more vivid of the two, while Charcoal reads as more muted.
Is charcoal warm or cool?+
Charcoal (#36454F) is a cool blue. Its hue sits at 204° on the color wheel, which places it in the cool range.
Is cerulean warm or cool?+
Cerulean (#007BA7) is a cool cyan. Its hue sits at 196° on the color wheel, which places it in the cool range.
Can you use charcoal and cerulean together?+
Yes. Charcoal (blue) and Cerulean (cyan) can work as a complementary or analogous pair. Use one as the dominant tone and the other as a 10–20% accent to keep the palette balanced.
What color family does charcoal belong to?+
Charcoal belongs to the blue family. Its HSL is 204°, 19%, 26% — a cool tone within the broader blue group.
What is the hex code for charcoal?+
The hex code for Charcoal is #36454F. In RGB, that's rgb(54, 69, 79), and in HSL it's hsl(204, 19%, 26%).
What is the hex code for cerulean?+
The hex code for Cerulean is #007BA7. In RGB, that's rgb(0, 123, 167), and in HSL it's hsl(196, 100%, 33%).