Terracotta Color
Hex Code: #C46A3A · orange
About Terracotta
Terracotta is a warm, earthy brownish-orange color named after the Italian term for 'baked earth.' This color has been part of human design vocabulary for thousands of years, used in pottery, architecture, and art across Mediterranean, Mesoamerican, and Asian cultures. In contemporary design, terracotta has experienced a massive revival as part of the broader trend toward earthy, natural aesthetics.
Is Terracotta Right for Your Project?
Choose Terracotta for
Terracotta works beautifully in interior design, particularly in Mediterranean-inspired or bohemian spaces. In graphic design, it pairs with sage green, warm cream, deep brown, and muted gold. Popular for sustainable brands, handmade products, and earthy lifestyle content. It shows up in 4 palettes in Colortion's library spanning a cozy range of moods.
Look elsewhere for
Formal, corporate, or luxury branding — orange reads casual and energetic rather than refined. Browse all colors to find a hue with a better fit.
Terracotta Tints & Shades
Lighter and darker variants of Terracotta — useful for hover states, borders, and backgrounds that need to stay in the same color family.
Terracotta Color Harmonies
Other hues computed from Terracotta's position on the color wheel — a fast starting point for a palette built around this color.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Tetradic
Color Palettes with Terracotta
Colors That Go With Terracotta
These colors complement Terracotta beautifully in design projects.
How to Use Terracotta in Design
Terracotta works beautifully in interior design, particularly in Mediterranean-inspired or bohemian spaces. In graphic design, it pairs with sage green, warm cream, deep brown, and muted gold. Popular for sustainable brands, handmade products, and earthy lifestyle content.
Oranges sit close to yellow on the wheel and can wash out white text more than they appear to at a glance. Use #C46A3A ( hsl(22, 54%, 50%)) directly in CSS or your design tool — for print, ask your printer for the closest CMYK or Pantone match before production.
Terracotta is most often paired with Sage Green and Olive Green. Start from #C46A3A in the Colortion generator and build outward from there rather than starting from scratch.
Similar Colors
All colorsHow Terracotta Compares
Side-by-side hex, RGB, and lightness values against the closest colors in the library.
| Color | Hex | Lightness |
|---|---|---|
| Terracotta (this page) | #C46A3A | 50% |
| Burnt Orange | #CC5500 | 40% |
| Coral | #FF6B6B | 71% |
| Olive Green | #6B7C3C | 36% |
| Dusty Rose | #C4847A | 62% |
| Lavender | #B89AC4 | 69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for Terracotta?
The hex code for Terracotta is #C46A3A. The RGB value is rgb(196, 106, 58) and the HSL value is hsl(22, 54%, 50%).
What colors go with Terracotta?
Terracotta pairs well with Sage Green, Olive Green — see the tints, shades, and comparison table below for exact values to build from.
What is Terracotta used for in design?
Terracotta works beautifully in interior design, particularly in Mediterranean-inspired or bohemian spaces. In graphic design, it pairs with sage green, warm cream, deep brown, and muted gold. Popular for sustainable brands, handmade products, and earthy lifestyle content.