Periwinkle vs Hay — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Periwinklenearest vs Hayexact

#C3C8EF · #D3CCA3

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 0/100 (fail) · Harmony 100/100 (complementary) · Distinguishable 63/100 (somewhat similar) · Match 7/100 (different). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability0Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.0:1

Harmony100Complementary

Complementary

178° apart

Distinguishable63Somewhat similar

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 42 (23 under CVD)

Match7Different

ΔE 42 — different

How different are Periwinkle and Hay?

Periwinkle and Hay are very different (ΔE 42). They have near-opposite hues (178° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

Periwinkle text on Hay: 1.01:1 (Fail); Hay text on Periwinkle: 1.01:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #505475 clears it.

Common questions

Do Periwinkle and Hay go well together?

Complementary — complementary — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 100/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is Periwinkle readable as text on Hay?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.0:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #505475 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Periwinkle and Hay?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 42 — very different.

Are Periwinkle and Hay the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 42).

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