#414244

Color Profile: #414244

Common Name: Deep Charcoal Gray

RGB: 65, 66, 68
HSL: ~220°, ~2%, ~26%

Contrast vs White: 12.6:1 (PASS: WCAG AA/AAA)
Contrast vs Black: 1.1:1 (FAIL)

Visual Mood:
Quietly authoritative, #414244 leans into the world of technical elegance. A color often reserved for instruments, aircraft panels, or high-end industrial coatings, it delivers a neutral calm without feeling cold. Subdued but present—like the background hum of something that’s built to last.

Close Matches (by ΔE):

• Federal Standard 595c – 27040 - Filing cabinet black #414244 (Exact match, ΔE=0.00)
• Tiger Drylac – 069/80331 Black Interior #414244 (Exact match, ΔE=0.00)
• Kelly Moore – A LICORICE #414243 (ΔE=0.65)
• Pantone FHI – Black Oyster #414143 (ΔE=0.56)
• Valspar – Noir #434446 (ΔE=0.88)

• Why Designers Use It.

#414244 is a dependable, regulation-approved dark neutral widely used in aerospace and military-industrial applications, thanks in part to its designation as Federal Standard 27040 and usage in Tiger Drylac powder coatings. The color's low reflectivity and subtle cool bias make it ideal for equipment panels, aircraft interiors, or any high-contrast surface where legibility and reduced glare are critical.

Its ties to matte-finished office furniture, filing cabinets, and control room consoles cement it as an "engineer's black"—distinct from pitch black yet formal enough to dominate subdued tech environments. This tone has gained renewed interest in minimalist UI design and dark themes due to its non-fatiguing nature on digital displays. While not flashy, it's deeply respected—like the undercurrent of a well-drawn blueprint.

Commonly appearing in manufacturing, defense, and software interfaces, this graphite-toned hue is more of a tool than a decoration. Designers reach for it not just for aesthetic restraint, but also for its coded familiarity in controlled environments.