Tan vs Burnt Orange: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Tan and Burnt Orange is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Tan is lighter and Burnt Orange is more saturated. Tan (#D2B48C) has an HSL of 34°, 44%, 69%, whereas Burnt Orange (#CC5500) sits at 25°, 100%, 40%.

Tan#D2B48C

Burnt Orange#CC5500

#D2B48CBlended: #CF8546#CC5500

Tan vs Burnt Orange: Key Differences at a Glance

Aspect Tan Burnt Orange

BrightnessLight (L=69%) — airy, soft, approachableMedium (L=40%) — balanced, versatile

SaturationModerately saturated (S=44%) — balanced in intensityVivid (S=100%) — bright, energetic, eye-catching

Hue familyOrangeOrange

TemperatureWarmWarm

Hex code#D2B48C#CC5500

RGB210, 180, 140204, 85, 0

Can you use Tan and Burnt Orange together?

Burnt Orange text on Tan

Tan text on Burnt Orange

Contrast Ratio:2.19:1Insufficient Contrast

How to Tell Tan and Burnt Orange Apart

●Look at lightness first: Tan is noticeably lighter.
●Check saturation: Burnt Orange looks more vivid and saturated.
●Compare them on a white background to see true saturation, and on black to see true lightness.

When to Use Tan vs Burnt Orange in Design

Use Tan for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Use Burnt Orange for:

●Call-to-action buttons

●Autumn and harvest themes

●Food, citrus, warmth branding

●Youthful energetic campaigns

●Friendly notification badges

Tan and Burnt Orange Hex Codes, RGB & HSL

Tan#D2B48C

Tan (#D2B48C) is a light, moderately saturated orange with a warm undertone — it feels airy, soft, approachable and balanced in intensity.

HEX

RGB

HSL

HSV

CMYK

PANTONE

Shades

Tints

Burnt Orange#CC5500

Burnt Orange (#CC5500) is a medium, vivid orange with a warm undertone — it feels balanced, versatile and bright, energetic, eye-catching.

HEX

RGB

HSL

HSV

CMYK

PANTONE

Shades

Tints

Tan and Burnt Orange 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

Tan text on white

1.97:1Fail

Sample text preview

Tan text on black

10.65:1AAA

Sample text preview

Burnt Orange text on white

4.31:1AA Large

Sample text preview

Burnt Orange text on black

4.87:1AA

Sample text preview

Tan text on Burnt Orange

2.19:1Fail

Sample text preview

Burnt Orange text on Tan

2.19:1Fail

Explore Tan and Burnt Orange individually

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

Tan color page#D2B48C · shades, tints, pairings Burnt Orange color page#CC5500 · shades, tints, pairings

More Tan and Burnt Orange Comparisons

Tan vs Burnt Orange FAQ

What is the difference between tan and burnt orange?+

The main difference between Tan and Burnt Orange is brightness and saturation: both are orange shades, but Tan is lighter and Burnt Orange is more saturated. Tan (#D2B48C) has an HSL of 34°, 44%, 69%, whereas Burnt Orange (#CC5500) sits at 25°, 100%, 40%.

Is tan darker than burnt orange?+

No. Burnt Orange is the darker of the two at 40% lightness, while Tan sits higher at 69%.

Are tan and burnt orange the same color?+

No. Tan is #D2B48C and Burnt Orange is #CC5500. They differ by 9° in hue, 29% in lightness, and 56% in saturation.

Which is more saturated, tan or burnt orange?+

Burnt Orange is more saturated. In HSL, Tan has 44% saturation and Burnt Orange has 100% — Burnt Orange is the more vivid of the two, while Tan reads as more muted.

Is tan warm or cool?+

Tan (#D2B48C) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 34° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.

Is burnt orange warm or cool?+

Burnt Orange (#CC5500) is a warm orange. Its hue sits at 25° on the color wheel, which places it in the warm range.

Can you use tan and burnt orange together?+

Yes. Both tan and burnt orange are orange shades, so they pair naturally in a monochromatic palette. Use burnt orange as the dominant color and tan as the accent or highlight.

What color family does tan belong to?+

Tan belongs to the orange family. Its HSL is 34°, 44%, 69% — a warm tone within the broader orange group.

What is the hex code for tan?+

The hex code for Tan is #D2B48C. In RGB, that's rgb(210, 180, 140), and in HSL it's hsl(34, 44%, 69%).

What is the hex code for burnt orange?+

The hex code for Burnt Orange is #CC5500. In RGB, that's rgb(204, 85, 0), and in HSL it's hsl(25, 100%, 40%).