Using Rust in design
HEX
#B7410E
RGB
183, 65, 14
HSL
18°, 86%, 39%
HSV
18°, 92%, 72%
Rust (#B7410E) is a warm, earthy red-orange that evokes autumn, vintage aesthetics, and natural materials. It works as a distinctive primary or accent color for brands seeking warmth without the intensity of pure orange.
Best for
Financial services branding and client-facing digital experiences.
Accessibility
Rust text on white passes AA at 5.56:1, which makes it usable for headings and short labels.
How does rust compare to nearby colors?
What is the difference between rust and mahogany?
Rust (#B7410E) and Mahogany (#C04000) are close enough that the split is more about finish than headline contrast: Rust feels more citrus-bright, while Mahogany reads more warm wood. Rust and Mahogany are close enough to substitute for each other, but they do not create the same supporting cast once typography, photography, and neutrals are added. Begin with rust when the family needs its current undertone and surface character; keep mahogany for the nearby alternative that shifts the mood without leaving the same hue neighborhood.
What color is rust?
Rust has become a trending color in fashion and interior design, strongly associated with autumn palettes. Named after iron oxide, it bridges the gap between orange and brown and appears frequently in 1970s-inspired retro design revivals.
What is the hex code for rust?
| Format | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #B7410E |
| RGB | rgb(183, 65, 14) |
| HSL | hsl(18°, 86%, 39%) |
| HSV / HSB | hsv(18°, 92%, 72%) |
| CMYK (approx.) | cmyk(0%, 64%, 92%, 28%) |
Convert Rust to other color formats
Open the color converter with Rust (#B7410E) prefilled to copy RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, or OKLCH values.
Convert Rust in the color converter →What does rust mean in design?
Rust evokes the natural world — aged metal, autumn leaves, desert landscapes. It communicates authenticity, warmth, and a grounded, unpretentious character. In branding, rust signals heritage craftsmanship and organic aesthetics, making it popular for artisanal, outdoor, and lifestyle brands.
How do I use rust in code?
| CSS (hex) | color: #B7410E; |
| CSS (rgb) | color: rgb(183, 65, 14); |
| CSS (hsl) | color: hsl(18, 86%, 39%); |
| RGB % | rgb(72%, 25%, 5%) |
| Tailwind | text-[#B7410E] |
| SwiftUI | Color(red: 0.718, green: 0.255, blue: 0.055) |
| UIKit | UIColor(red: 0.718, green: 0.255, blue: 0.055, alpha: 1.0) |
| Android | Color.rgb(183, 65, 14) |
| Compose | Color(0xFFB7410E) |
| Web Safe | #CC3300 |
Is rust accessible?
| Combination | Ratio | AA | AA lg | AAA | AAA lg | UI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AaWhite text on this color | 5.56:1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AaBlack text on this color | 3.78:1 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| AaThis color as text on white | 5.56:1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AaThis color as text on black | 3.78:1 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
WCAG 2.1: AA normal ≥ 4.5:1, AA large text ≥ 3:1, AAA normal ≥ 7:1, AAA large ≥ 4.5:1, UI components ≥ 3:1.
How does rust look with color blindness?
Simulated appearance for common types of color vision deficiency. Actual perception varies by individual.
What colors go with rust
Cream takes the hard digital edge off rust and makes the color feel more printed, paper-backed, and approachable.
Forest Green shifts rust away from a purely warm read and makes the combination feel more considered in real layouts.
Beside rust, navy blue turns a hot palette into something more usable for documents, product surfaces, and brand systems.
What colors clash with rust
Neon Green changes the meaning of rust too abruptly, replacing the source color's food, promotion, and social-first graphics cues with something much louder and less stable.
Magenta remaps rust too aggressively, dragging it away from food, promotion, and social-first graphics and into a brighter, more performative palette.
Cyan redirects rust toward a more technical, backlit interpretation, which is risky when the goal is warmth, polish, or print-minded editorial work.
Pastel Pink can make rust feel softer and sweeter than intended, which weakens palettes that rely on gravity or structure.
How should I use rust in design?
- •Rust is a strong alternative to orange for brands that want warmth without the "tech startup" association — it feels more mature and grounded.
- •Pair rust with cream and forest green for a natural, earthy palette that works for outdoor and sustainability brands.
- •Use rust as an accent on dark backgrounds (navy, charcoal) for a warm pop that feels intentional rather than aggressive.
What are good rust palettes?
Dark precision
Financial services branding and client-facing digital experiences.
Neutral ground
Workshop handouts, training guides, and presentation templates.
Design with rust in Moda
Create a presentation or document using rust as your accent color. Moda's AI applies your color palette automatically.
Create a design with rust →What are the shades and tints of rust?
Shades (darker)
Tints (lighter)
Tones (desaturated)
Hue variations
What are the color harmonies for rust?
Harmonies are calculated from the base swatch. When a harmony matches a named color page, it links there; otherwise it appears here as a computed reference swatch.
Similar colors
Mahogany
Mahogany is nearly adjacent to rust in hue; what separates them is intensity, with mahogany reading cleaner and more assertive.
Burnt Orange
Burnt Orange sits close to rust on the wheel, but it carries more pigment pressure, which makes it better for faster emphasis and brighter accent work than for broader coverage and quieter supporting roles.
Sienna
Sienna is nearly adjacent to rust in hue; what separates them is intensity, with sienna reading dustier and easier to extend across a layout.
Persimmon
Persimmon is almost the same hue as rust; the real difference is value, with persimmon feeling more open and surface-friendly.
Brown
Brown is almost the same hue as rust; the real difference is value, with brown feeling more grounded and anchor-ready.
Frequently asked questions
What is the hex code for rust?
The hex code for rust is #B7410E. In RGB, that's 183 red, 65 green, and 14 blue. The approximate CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 64% magenta, 92% yellow, and 28% key (black).
Is rust a warm or cool color?
Rust sits on the warm side of the palette, so it pairs easily with other warm tones and becomes more energetic when you place it against cooler blues or blue-grays.
Should rust lead the palette or stay in supporting roles?
Rust has enough chroma to take the lead, but it usually performs best when the surrounding system stays quieter. Treat it as the voice of emphasis, not the answer to every layout need.
Where does rust work best in a layout?
Rust carries a lot of chroma, so it is usually strongest as punctuation rather than wallpaper. Use it for focal accents and let low-saturation surfaces do the balancing.
Is rust accessible?
Rust can work as text on white at 5.56:1 contrast, but it is usually safest in headings, labels, and accent moments rather than long body copy.
More orange colors
Keep exploring color resources
All color pages
Browse the full library of color references, pairings, and palettes.
Orange colors
Compare rust with other orange tones.
Brown colors
Explore nearby color families to build stronger palettes and contrasts.
Neutral colors
Explore nearby color families to build stronger palettes and contrasts.
Red colors
Explore nearby color families to build stronger palettes and contrasts.
Last updated April 6, 2026
Color values are computed from the listed hex code using standard conversion formulas. RGB, HSL, and HSV are exact screen-ready conversions. CMYK is an approximate on-screen reference, not a press-ready print specification. Pairings, palettes, and use-case guidance are heuristic recommendations derived from color relationships, contrast behavior, and common presentation, document, and UI patterns.