Shades of Beige: Names and Hex Codes
This is a practical reference for the most useful shades of beige, with accurate hex codes, RGB values, and notes on character and use. Beige is a pale, low-saturation warm neutral — essentially a tan diluted toward white — so it reads as calm, soft, and timeless, but small shifts toward yellow, pink, or gray change it from creamy to earthy to sophisticated. Use the table below as a citable palette, then read on for how the shades group together.
For two neutrals it is constantly confused with, compare beige vs cream and taupe vs beige. The closely related warm and pale families are covered in our shades of tan and shades of cream references.
Shades of beige: full table
| Shade name | Hex | RGB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beige | #F5F5DC | 245, 245, 220 | CSS named beige; pale warm neutral. |
| Cream | #FFFDD0 | 255, 253, 208 | Soft yellow-white; richer than beige. |
| Ivory | #FFFFF0 | 255, 255, 240 | Near-white with a faint warm cast. |
| Wheat | #F5DEB3 | 245, 222, 179 | Warm golden beige; CSS named color. |
| Ecru | #C2B280 | 194, 178, 128 | Grayish-yellow beige; raw linen tone. |
| Sand | #C2B280 | 194, 178, 128 | Warm desert beige; shares ecru’s value. |
| Tan | #D2B48C | 210, 180, 140 | Classic light sandy brown. |
| Khaki | #C3B091 | 195, 176, 145 | Dusty tan-beige; military neutral. |
| Buff | #F0DC82 | 240, 220, 130 | Pale yellow-beige; soft and warm. |
| Dutch White | #EFDFBB | 239, 223, 187 | Creamy off-white with a beige cast. |
| Eggshell | #F0EAD6 | 240, 234, 214 | Pale neutral; soft matte off-white. |
| Linen | #FAF0E6 | 250, 240, 230 | Very pale pinkish beige; CSS color. |
| Bone | #E3DAC9 | 227, 218, 201 | Off-white with a gray-beige undertone. |
| Alabaster | #EDEAE0 | 237, 234, 224 | Soft warm-white; popular paint tone. |
| Almond | #EFDECD | 239, 222, 205 | Pale pink-beige; warm and soft. |
| Desert | #E1C699 | 225, 198, 153 | Warm golden sand beige. |
| Desert Sand | #EDC9AF | 237, 201, 175 | Soft peachy beige; light and warm. |
| Sand Dune | #D2B55B | 210, 181, 91 | Deeper golden beige; muted ochre. |
| Greige | #C9C0A8 | 201, 192, 168 | Gray-beige hybrid; modern neutral. |
| Taupe | #483C32 | 72, 60, 50 | Dark gray-brown; beige’s deep cousin. |
| Mushroom | #988558 | 152, 133, 88 | Muted greenish tan-beige. |
| Dark Khaki | #967117 | 150, 113, 23 | Deep olive-tan; earthy and muted. |
| Oat | #DAC8AD | 218, 200, 173 | Soft cereal beige; cozy and natural. |
| Camel | #C8AD7F | 200, 173, 127 | Warm tan-beige; fashion neutral. |
| Vanilla | #F3E5AB | 243, 229, 171 | Pale creamy yellow-beige. |
| Dark Vanilla | #BDB76B | 189, 183, 107 | Muted olive-beige; CSS dark khaki. |
Pale, near-white beiges
The lightest end blends into off-white. Ivory (#FFFFF0), Linen (#FAF0E6), Eggshell (#F0EAD6), Alabaster (#EDEAE0), and Bone (#E3DAC9) all sit a hair warmer than pure white, which makes them ideal for backgrounds that feel soft rather than clinical. These tones carry just enough yellow or pink to remove the cold edge of #FFFFFF without reading as a distinct color. They are the workhorses of interiors, packaging, and editorial layouts, where a true white can feel harsh under warm lighting. Cream (#FFFDD0) is the richest of the group, leaning clearly yellow, which is why it is often treated as its own shade — see beige vs cream for the distinction.
Warm, sandy mid-beiges
The defining beiges live in the middle. Beige (#F5F5DC) itself, Wheat (#F5DEB3), Buff (#F0DC82), Tan (#D2B48C), and Ecru (#C2B280) form the core sandy band, warm and golden without tipping into brown. Sand (#C2B280) shares ecru’s exact value but is named for its desert association, and Desert (#E1C699) and Desert Sand (#EDC9AF) push slightly toward gold and peach respectively. These are the colors most people picture when they hear “beige” — neutral enough to recede, warm enough to feel inviting. They anchor minimalist and organic palettes and pair effortlessly with white, wood tones, and muted greens.
Gray-leaning and muted beiges
Pull beige toward gray and you get the sophisticated end. Greige (#C9C0A8), Khaki (#C3B091), Mushroom (#988558), and Taupe (#483C32) all carry a desaturated, cooler character that reads as modern and refined rather than cozy. Greige — the beige-gray hybrid — has dominated contemporary interiors precisely because it is harder to date than a pure warm beige. Taupe is the deepest member, dark enough to act as a grounding tone or near-neutral text color. These muted beiges are the reason beige and taupe are so often confused; the taupe vs beige comparison covers exactly where one becomes the other.
Golden and creamy beiges
A handful of beiges lean clearly into yellow. Vanilla (#F3E5AB), Sand Dune (#D2B55B), Dark Vanilla (#BDB76B), and Dark Khaki (#967117) carry enough gold to feel warm and rich, edging toward ochre at the deeper end. Oat (#DAC8AD) and Camel (#C8AD7F) sit between sandy and golden, soft and cereal-toned. These warmer beiges work beautifully in food, beauty, and heritage branding, where the extra yellow signals comfort and natural quality. When a plain beige feels flat, nudging it toward vanilla or camel adds warmth without committing to a full brown.
Most popular shades of beige
The beiges most people name and use are Beige (#F5F5DC) for a soft background, Ecru (#C2B280) for a natural linen tone, Tan (#D2B48C) for a warmer mid-neutral, Khaki (#C3B091) for an earthy muted option, and Cream (#FFFDD0) when you want a richer, creamier off-white. Together they cover near-white through sandy to gray-muted, which is why they anchor most calm, neutral palettes.
How to use shades of beige in design
Beige is the most forgiving neutral, so it works almost anywhere a stark white would feel cold. Use pale beiges like ivory and eggshell as page or product backgrounds, mid sandy tones like wheat and tan for cards and supporting blocks, and taupe or dark khaki as grounding accents or text. Beige pairs beautifully with white, terracotta, sage green, navy, and warm wood, evoking calm, craft, and understated luxury. The main risk is flatness: a palette built entirely from similar beiges can read as muddy or washed-out, so introduce a clear darker tone or a clean white to create contrast and hierarchy. A reliable approach mirrors a value scale in gray — a pale ivory background, a wheat or tan mid-tone, and a taupe for emphasis, all sharing the same warm undertone. Because beige signals quiet sophistication and natural materials, it suits luxury, wellness, and lifestyle brands far better than a clinical gray would. For the psychology behind why beige reads as calm and dependable, see color psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for beige?
The CSS named color “beige” is #F5F5DC (RGB 245, 245, 220), a very pale warm neutral. For a richer, more golden beige use Wheat (#F5DEB3), and for a natural linen tone use Ecru (#C2B280). A deeper, gray-leaning beige is Taupe (#483C32).
What is the difference between beige and cream?
Beige (#F5F5DC) is a pale warm neutral that can lean slightly gray or sandy, while cream (#FFFDD0) is noticeably more yellow and reads as a soft off-white with a creamy glow. Cream feels richer and warmer; beige feels more neutral and earthy. They are easy to confuse in isolation.
How many shades of beige are there?
Beige variations are effectively limitless because beige covers a broad band of pale, low-saturation warm tones, but designers typically reference 20 to 30 named shades. This list includes 26 of the most recognized, from ivory and eggshell through sandy ecru to gray-muted taupe.
What colors go well with beige?
Beige pairs naturally with white, terracotta, sage and olive green, navy, and warm wood tones for a calm, organic palette. For more contrast, combine pale beige with a deep navy, charcoal, or taupe. Cooler greige tones also sit well alongside gray-based schemes.
