Pacific Harbor#1F5E7A
Cable Car Red#B63A31
Golden Gate Amber#C79A3B
Fog Harbor#6E8792
Marina Moss#4F7A6D
Palette direction

San Francisco Inspired Color Palette

This palette blends the Bay Area’s fog, cable-car warmth, and Pacific depth into a clean urban system that feels inventive without becoming loud. The restrained contrasts make it flexible for civic, tech, or lifestyle brands that want a distinctly San Francisco identity.

Split ComplementaryNonesan franciscobay areafogcable car
palette-preview.example
None color direction

San Francisco Inspired Color Palette

This palette blends the Bay Area’s fog, cable-car warmth, and Pacific depth into a clean urban system that feels inventive without becoming loud. The restrained contrasts make it flexible for civic, tech, or lifestyle brands that want a distinctly San Francisco identity.

Explore the color system
Logo contrast guide

Logo color pairings

ColorFly checks the palette colors against each other and suggests the clearest logo/background combinations.

Logo Bay Night #111317on Golden Gate Amber #C79A3B7.2:1 Excellent
Logo Pure White #FFFFFFon Pacific Harbor #1F5E7A7.1:1 Excellent
Logo Pure White #FFFFFFon Cable Car Red #B63A315.8:1 Strong
Logo Bay Night #111317on Pure White #FFFFFF18.6:1 Excellent
Icon color
BackgroundPacific Harbor#1F5E7ATextPure White#FFFFFF
Primary Button7.14:1
AAA

Best for the main action users should notice first.

BackgroundCable Car Red#B63A31TextPure White#FFFFFF
Secondary Button5.77:1
AA

Useful for softer choices and secondary paths.

BackgroundPure White#FFFFFFTextGolden Gate Amber#C79A3B
Outlined Button2.59:1
Low

Good for lower-emphasis actions on light surfaces.

BackgroundPure White#FFFFFFTextPacific Harbor#1F5E7A
Text Button7.14:1
AAA

A quiet action for links, navigation, and inline decisions.

Palette composition8 colorsSplit Complementary color relationship
9:41San Francisco Inspired Color Palette Color role balance
Split Complementary system
60% DominantNeutrals

Backgrounds, large surfaces, whitespace, and reading comfort.

30% SecondarySupport colors

Sections, secondary UI, illustrations, and repeated brand moments.

10% AccentMain colors

High-attention moments like primary actions and memorable highlights.

CSan Francisco Inspired Color PaletteNone brand direction ColorFly.design
Strategic palette preview
Why it works

A usable
color system.

The main colors pair Pacific blue with cable-car red and a softened gold, echoing the city’s coast, transit, and hillside light in a way that feels immediately recognizable. Together they create a balanced urban system that is energetic, cultured, and rooted in place.

Clear roles create a consistent brand experience.

Color Roles and Usage Map

Assign existing palette colors to brand, typography, and interface roles.

Brand identity

LogoUsed for logo marks and core brand symbols.Pacific Harbor #1F5E7A
HeadlineUsed for main titles and key messages.Cable Car Red #B63A31
LinkUsed for links and interactive text.Pacific Harbor #1F5E7A

Buttons

Primary Button
BackgroundPacific Harbor #1F5E7A
TextPure White #FFFFFF
Secondary Button
BackgroundCable Car Red #B63A31
TextPure White #FFFFFF
Outlined Button
BackgroundGolden Gate Amber #C79A3B
TextGolden Gate Amber #C79A3B

Interface

TextDefault readable body text.Bay Night #111317
Bg LightLight page or section background.Pure White #FFFFFF
Bg DarkDark page or section background.Bay Night #111317
IconSmall interface icons and marks.Fog Harbor #6E8792
BorderCards, inputs, and component borders.Fog Harbor #6E8792
DividerSubtle separators between content.Marina Moss #4F7A6D
OutlineFocus rings and emphasis outlines.Marina Moss #4F7A6D

Palette Colors

A compact view of the brand, support, and neutral colors that make up this system.

Main (Brand) Colors

The main colors pair Pacific blue with cable-car red and a softened gold, echoing the city’s coast, transit, and hillside light in a way that feels immediately recognizable. Together they create a balanced urban system that is energetic, cultured, and rooted in place.

PrimaryPacific Harbor

RolesLogo, Link, Btn Primary Bg

Pacific Harbor anchors the brand with a steady coastal depth that feels credible and distinctly Bay Area.

HEX#1F5E7A
RGB31, 94, 122
HSL198, 59, 30
CMYK75, 23, 0, 52
SecondaryCable Car Red

RolesBtn Secondary Bg, Headline

Cable Car Red adds historic character and urgency, giving the palette a vivid civic signature.

HEX#B63A31
RGB182, 58, 49
HSL4, 58, 45
CMYK0, 68, 73, 29
TertiaryGolden Gate Amber

RolesBtn Outlined Border, Btn Outlined Text

Golden Gate Amber brings a warm accent that suggests bridge light and helps the system feel less cold and more human.

HEX#C79A3B
RGB199, 154, 59
HSL41, 56, 51
CMYK0, 23, 70, 22

Support Colors

The support colors extend the palette with foggy, coastal accents that stay subordinate to the main trio and keep the system balanced. They soften the stronger city colors while preserving a modern San Francisco mood.

Fog Harbor

RolesIcon, Border

Fog Harbor adds a misted neutral-blue that supports UI structure without competing with the main hues.

HEX#6E8792
RGB110, 135, 146
HSL198, 14, 50
CMYK25, 8, 0, 43
Marina Moss

RolesDivider, Outline

Marina Moss introduces a muted green note that balances the warmer accents and nods to the city’s parks and hills.

HEX#4F7A6D
RGB79, 122, 109
HSL162, 21, 39
CMYK35, 0, 11, 52

Neutral Colors

Utility colors for backgrounds, text, borders, and balance.

Pure White

RolesBg Light, Btn Primary Text, Btn Secondary Text

HEX#FFFFFF
RGB255, 255, 255
HSL0, 0, 100
CMYK0, 0, 0, 0
Fog White
HEX#F2F4F5
RGB242, 244, 245
HSL200, 13, 95
CMYK1, 0, 0, 4
Bay Night

RolesBg Dark, Text

HEX#111317
RGB17, 19, 23
HSL220, 15, 8
CMYK26, 17, 0, 91

Export and Handoff

Copy palette values for design systems, websites, and client handoff.

Color tokens

Use these in CSS when you want every raw palette color available by name. Best for websites, landing pages, and design system variables.

Use when: you need the actual colors.
:root {
  --color-pacific-harbor: #1F5E7A;
  --color-cable-car-red: #B63A31;
  --color-golden-gate-amber: #C79A3B;
  --color-fog-harbor: #6E8792;
  --color-marina-moss: #4F7A6D;
  --color-pure-white: #FFFFFF;
  --color-fog-white: #F2F4F5;
  --color-bay-night: #111317;
}

Role tokens

Use these in CSS when colors are assigned to practical jobs like text, buttons, borders, links, and backgrounds.

Use when: you need UI roles, not just swatches.
:root {
  --role-logo: #1F5E7A;
  --role-link: #1F5E7A;
  --role-btn-primary-bg: #1F5E7A;
  --role-btn-secondary-bg: #B63A31;
  --role-headline: #B63A31;
  --role-btn-outlined-border: #C79A3B;
  --role-btn-outlined-text: #C79A3B;
  --role-icon: #6E8792;
  --role-border: #6E8792;
  --role-divider: #4F7A6D;
  --role-outline: #4F7A6D;
  --role-bg-light: #FFFFFF;
  --role-btn-primary-text: #FFFFFF;
  --role-btn-secondary-text: #FFFFFF;
  --role-bg-dark: #111317;
  --role-text: #111317;
}

JSON

Use this structured palette data in apps, generators, plugins, or tools that need to read the palette programmatically.

Use when: a developer or app needs data.
{
    "pacific-harbor": "#1F5E7A",
    "cable-car-red": "#B63A31",
    "golden-gate-amber": "#C79A3B",
    "fog-harbor": "#6E8792",
    "marina-moss": "#4F7A6D",
    "pure-white": "#FFFFFF",
    "fog-white": "#F2F4F5",
    "bay-night": "#111317"
}
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