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Yellows and golds
Bitter Lemon
Bitter Lemon is a light, warm color with warm (red, orange or yellow) character. Its estimated light reflectance value (LRV) is about 64.6, so it reflects roughly 65% of the light that hits it.
Color facts
| Hex | #D2DB32 |
|---|---|
| RGB | 210, 219, 50 |
| HSL | 63°, 70%, 53% |
| Estimated LRV | 64.6 |
| Temperature | warm |
| Text on it | Black text, contrast 13.9:1 |
LRV here is estimated from the screen color (relative luminance). Paint brands publish measured LRVs on their own chips, which can differ.
How it reads on a wall
A comfortable whole-room wall color. It keeps rooms bright while showing more color than a white.
North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light all day; a warm color like this one helps balance it.
South- and west-facing rooms get warm, strong light that will make this color look warmer and more saturated in the afternoon.
Rooms it suits
- Small rooms and hallways
- Ceilings
- Rooms with little daylight
- Open-plan main walls
A 60-30-10 palette built on Bitter Lemon
Bitter Lemon
White Beach
Sapphire Glitter
The 60-30-10 rule splits a room into a main color, a secondary color and an accent. Swap in real paint and fabric samples before you buy.
Harmonies
Complementary
Sapphire Glitter#0033CCAnalogous
Emerald Glitter#66BB00Analogous
Vibrant Amber#D1902ETriadic
Sea Serpent#4BC7CFTriadic
Violet Pink#FB5FFCSplit complementary
Soothing Sapphire#307DD3Tints and shades
Lighter tints work as a ceiling or adjoining-room color; deeper shades suit trim, doors or cabinets.
Similar named colors
Closest Colors of the Year
Getting Bitter Lemon in real paint
Bitter Lemon is a name from the open color-names list (MIT license), not a specific paint product. Most paint counters can mix a close match: bring a printed or physical sample, or use a brand color-match tool, then buy a sample pot and paint a 2 by 2 foot swatch on two walls. Screens and printers shift color.
On-screen colors are approximations. Pantone, Color of the Year and brand color names are trademarks of their owners.