Color Conversion
#690d12Nocturne Claret
About this color
Quiet, luxurious authority
A dense, low-lit crimson that reads as almost-black wine in dim light yet reveals warm red depth at close range. It feels intimate and authoritative, like a private study lit by a single lamp.
Designer tip: Use Nocturne Claret as a grounding accent on matte surfaces (e.g., upholstery or background panels) paired with a pale aqua accent for contrast; keep large text elements light (white or warm ivory) and restrict the color to key focal areas to preserve legibility and drama.
Best use case: Luxury hospitality interiors — as a statement wall or velvet banquette color in boutique hotel lounges where low lighting intensifies its richness and conveys exclusivity.
Psychology
Psychological traits and emotional associations
Effect
In a room or on a product, Nocturne Claret pulls visual focus inward and shortens perceived distance, creating cozy, enclave-like areas. It increases perceived warmth and perceived value but can make spaces feel smaller if overused.
Emotional impact
Senses of intimacy and composed strength arise quickly, often paired with nostalgia.
Meaning & symbolism
Cultural symbolism and significance
Cultural significance
In Western Europe and North America deep claret tones often signal heritage, wine culture and academic tradition; in East Asia (e.g., Japan) dark crimson relates to traditional lacquerware and historic garments, conveying craftsmanship; in parts of Latin America and the Mediterranean, similar deep reds are associated with winemaking, festivities and artisanal textiles, linking the shade to place and craft.
Positive associations
Associated with nobility and craftsmanship in European contexts and with artisanal lacquer and ceremonial textiles in Japan and China.
Negative associations
Can evoke blood, mourning, or heavy conservatism in certain contexts (some Latin American and African cultures associate dark red with death or intense emotion).
Design applications
How this color is used across different fields
Boutique hotel lounge interiors
As a velvet banquette or accent wall it creates a cocooned, upscale atmosphere that reads as both warm and exclusive under low lighting.
Premium wine or spirits packaging
On labels and boxes it signals age, seriousness and provenance, especially when paired with metallic foils or textured papers.
Eveningwear and tailoring
Ideal for structured jackets or satin gowns where the deep hue reads formal and luxurious without the flashiness of bright red.
Editorial covers
Provides dramatic contrast for photography or gold typography, communicating depth and narrative intensity on print covers.
Automotive and furniture leather
Works as a rich upholstery tone that patinas attractively and suggests craftsmanship and longevity.
Design guidance
Practical tips for using this color effectively in your designs
Do this
- + Pair Nocturne Claret with a pale cyan/aqua accent to use complementary contrast for focal elements (e.g., bar front with a backlit aqua shelf).
- + Use textured materials—velvet, matte plaster, hammered metal—to reveal depth; texture prevents the tone from reading flat or black in dim light.
- + Limit large fields to well-lit or purposefully intimate spaces; apply it to seating, trims, or feature walls rather than ceilings or full rooms.
Avoid this
- - Don't place small dark text of similar value on panels filled with Nocturne Claret—contrast will fail accessibility requirements.
- - Don't mix with overly bright candy reds or pure neon accents that fight the color's refined character.
- - Don't use it as the sole neutral; it lacks the neutrality of gray/beige and will dominate compositions if treated as a base.
Fundamentals: Maintain high contrast and purposeful scale—use this color for focal weight, never as an all-over neutral.
Overuse risk: When it dominates a design the space or object reads heavy and closed-in; the color can subdue lighter accents and flatten contrast, reducing perceived openness and accessibility. Overuse turns its intimacy into monotony rather than impact.
Brand fit
Industries and brand archetypes that align with this color
Trust level
high
Seriousness
serious
Trend
Color pairing
Colors that complement and enhance this shade
#96F2ED
Complementary pairing — a pale aqua creates striking, high-contrast focal points and lifts the deep warmth for modern luxury accents.
#6F0D3A
Analogous pairing — a slightly plumder neighbor deepens the palette for layered, tonal richness without clashing.
#D9A10D
Triadic pairing — an aged gold provides warm punctuation and vintage luxury contrast while preserving harmony.
Typography hints: For headlines use a high-contrast serif or condensed sans in 600–800 weight (e.g., Playfair Display Bold or Montserrat SemiBold) in light ivory or white; for body copy use a readable serif (Merriweather Regular 400) or humanist sans (Source Sans Pro 400) with sufficient size (16px+) to meet WCAG contrast standards.
Historical significance
The story and heritage of this color
Deep crimson shades have roots in ancient dyes and earth pigments. Early Western artists used iron-rich 'Venetian' and 'Indian' reds and organic dyes like cochineal and madder to achieve saturated burgundies; these pigments were prized for their depth and permanence and were often reserved for garments and tapestries that signified status.
Through the Renaissance and into 19th-century fashion, similar deep reds signaled wealth and ecclesiastical power—cardinals' robes and aristocratic velvet were colored with concentrated reds and cochineal-based carmines. In interiors and theater design, heavy curtains and upholstery in these tones created dramatic backdrops and helped soak up light on candlelit stages.
Today the shade survives in luxury branding, fashion and interior palettes where its association with wine, leather and craftsmanship remains valuable. Contemporary formulators replicate the hue with modern pigments and dyes for consistent durability, and designers use it sparingly to create focal points in otherwise neutral schemes or to emphasize heritage and artisanal narratives.
Variations
The purpose of this section is to accurately produce tints (pure white added) and shades (pure black added) of your selected color in 10% increments.
Pro Tip: Use shades for hover states and shadows, tints for highlights and backgrounds.
Shades
Darker variations created by adding black to your base color.
Tints
Lighter variations created by adding white to your base color.
Common Use Cases
- • UI component states (hover, active, disabled)
- • Creating depth with shadows and highlights
- • Building consistent color systems
Design System Tip
These variations form the foundation of a cohesive color palette. Export them to maintain consistency across your entire project.
Color Combinations
Each harmony has its own mood. Use harmonies to brainstorm color combos that work well together.
How to Use
Click on any color to copy its hex value. These combinations are mathematically proven to create visual harmony.
Why It Matters
Color harmonies create balance and evoke specific emotions in your designs.
Complement
A color and its opposite on the color wheel, +180 degrees of hue. High contrast.
Split-complementary
A color and two adjacent to its complement, +/-30 degrees of hue from the value opposite the main color. Bold like a straight complement, but more versatile.
Triadic
Three colors spaced evenly along the color wheel, each 120 degrees of hue apart. Best to allow one color to dominate and use the others as accents.
Analogous
Three colors of the same luminance and saturation with hues that are adjacent on the color wheel, 30 degrees apart. Smooth transitions.
Monochromatic
Three colors of the same hue with luminance values +/-50%. Subtle and refined.
Tetradic
Two sets of complementary colors, separated by 60 degrees of hue.
Color Theory Principles
Balance
Use one dominant color, support with secondary, and accent sparingly.
Contrast
Ensure sufficient contrast for readability and accessibility.
Harmony
Colors should work together to create a unified visual experience.
Color Contrast Checker
Test color combinations to ensure they meet WCAG accessibility standards for text readability.
Text Color
Background Color
Contrast
WCAG Standards
Advanced Contrast Checker
Fine-tune with sliders, multiple previews & more
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Technical Formats
Practical Formats
Color Analysis
Blindness Simulator
Creative Aspects
Frequently asked questions
- What color is #690D12?
- #690D12 is Nocturne Claret – A dense, low-lit crimson that reads as almost-black wine in dim light yet reveals warm red depth at close range. It feels intimate and authoritative, like a private study lit by a single lamp.
- What does Nocturne Claret symbolize?
- mature passion, heritage and provenance, quiet wealth, sacrality or ritual depth, protective seriousness. In Western Europe and North America deep claret tones often signal heritage, wine culture and academic tradition; in East Asia (e.g., Japan) dark crimson relates to traditional lacquerware and historic garments, conveying craftsmanship; in parts of Latin America and the Mediterranean, similar deep reds are associated with winemaking, festivities and artisanal textiles, linking the shade to place and craft.
- Where is Nocturne Claret used in design?
- In a room or on a product, Nocturne Claret pulls visual focus inward and shortens perceived distance, creating cozy, enclave-like areas. It increases perceived warmth and perceived value but can make spaces feel smaller if overused.