The color khaki may conjure up images of African safaris and chinos, but where did the color come from? We hope to share some ideas on where the khaki color came from and discover the colors that go with khaki. So, you can see just how to use it for interior design.
- What Color Is Khaki?
- Khaki Color: A Brief History
- Meaning of the Khaki Color
- Shades of Khaki Color
- Light Khaki
- Dark Khaki
- Khaki Green
- Vintage Khaki
- Indian Khaki
- Khaki Color Combinations
- Complementary Khaki Color Combinations
- Analogous Khaki Color Combinations
- Triadic Khaki Color Combination
- Monochromatic Khaki Color Combination
- The Color Khaki in Art and Design
- Creating the Color Khaki With Acrylic Paints
- The Khaki Color and Design
- Using Khaki for Interior Design
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What Color Is Khaki?
- Are There Colors That Go With Khaki?
- Are There Shades of Khaki?
What Color Is Khaki?
The color can be described as a shade of brown or tan, which also has a slight yellowish undertone to it. The earthy tan color does not appear on a traditional color wheel. The color wheel is a representation of all the colors including the primary, and secondary, and the various shades and tints in-between. The color can be created by a combination of brown, yellow as well as white.
This combination forms the natural khaki color, which is also a neutral tone.
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The khaki color chart below displays a khaki color with its hex code, which makes it possible for you to find the exact color online. The RGB and CMYK codes are also included, which are helpful if you want to use the color on a webpage or for printing respectively. This particular Khaki color is the web color that matches the color described in the Dictionary of Color, the standard for colors before computers.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Khaki | #f0e68c | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 |
Khaki Color: A Brief History
Khaki has its origins in the army and has been used in uniforms as it is helpful as camouflage in the desert or dusty regions. It was first used as a color in the mid-19th century, due to its use as a military uniform.
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The word itself is from Urdu, which means soil-color, and this originally comes from Persian.
Over the years, khaki has been used by a large number of armies for their uniforms and other types of equipment. The color provides concealment in places where there is a lot of sand and dust. The color has also changed slightly from having a yellow undertone to something with more of a green undertone, known as olive drab.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Khaki | #c3b091 | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 | |
| Olive Drab | #6b8e23 | 25, 0, 75, 44 | 107, 142, 35 |
The khaki color was originally worn by the Corps of Guilds, a regiment that was stationed in Lahore, in Pakistan or what was known as British-India, when Henry Lawrence was stationed there as the agent to the Governor-General. The local inhabitants or British-Indian soldiers usually wore their native attire, which blended more into the landscape than the original British uniforms. The British uniforms were then adapted and changed when the khaki uniform was introduced in 1848. This particular uniform was then worn by both Indian as well as British soldiers that served in that area.
The khaki uniform was officially worn by soldiers in 1868 when there was an expedition o Ethiopia. This then became the normal uniform for all soldiers stationed abroad in 1897. The color khaki then fully replaced the red uniform. The uniform was a common sight in the Boer war, where the British soldiers became known as the “khakis”.
Eventually, the khaki color was taken up by the American army during the Spanish-American war that took place in the late 19th century. Eventually, the marines as well as the navy also began wearing the color due to its camouflaging and natural color. The color has changed slightly, and a similar shade has been adopted by many, known as olive drab, which you can see in the table above. This particular shade of khaki was the main color used during both World Wars.
This is where the khaki trousers became popular, which were made from chino cloth twill. Today, we use the term for khaki pants like chinos or khakis, however, the chinos can now be any color and is more a style of clothing.
Meaning of the Khaki Color
The khaki color can be defined as natural color and may be seen as being impartial. Since it was worn as a uniform color in the army, it also symbolizes authority and can be seen as quite a serious color. The color is also associated with safety as well as trust. However, it does also have a sense of warmth and comfort due to its affinity with nature. The olive drab, on the other hand, is more of a cooler version.
As for the personality associated with khaki, it describes a reserved person that does not want to stand out, is more introverted, and enjoys a sense of order. Again, its association with the army can bring in traits of dutifulness and respect for authority. Since the color khaki is associated with nature, it is similar to brown and green, which all have similar traits.
This also means a personality that enjoys being outdoors and loves doing outdoor activities like hiking and camping.
Shades of Khaki Color
The khaki color is a blend of colors, so there are numerous tones and shades of this color that exist. The various versions of khaki can include the lighter, almost beige to the darker, green varieties of khaki. Let us see what shades are available, along with their khaki color chart.
Light Khaki
This color is also known as tan or khaki tan. This color is quite popular in clothing, especially in pants, jackets, and hats. The colors are also often used as car seat covers and, of course, the light khaki makes a wonderful neutral background when painting a wall.
A color that goes well with khaki is a soft blue.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Light Khaki | #f0e68c | 0, 4, 42, 6 | 240, 230, 140 |
Dark Khaki
This color can be described as a desaturated yellow tone and is one of the X11 color names from the computer windows system. The color will work well together with shades of orange, greens, and blues.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Dark Khaki | #bdb76b | 0, 3, 43, 26 | 189, 183, 107 |
Khaki Green
This particular color leans more toward a dark green khaki, which is known as the actual khaki color in many commonwealth countries due to its military connection.
These colors are also referred to as khaki drab, olive drab, or simply olive.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Khaki Green | #728639 | 15, 0, 57, 47 | 114, 134, 57 |
Vintage Khaki
This color is moving towards a darker, gray-orange and is a warm color from the brown color family. The vintage khaki is also a Pantone color that is used in a variety of their available products. A dark grayish-blue is its complementary color.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Vintage Khaki | #9a9186 | 0, 6, 13, 40 | 154, 145, 134 |
Indian Khaki
The Indian khaki can be described as a desaturated orange, which is a warm color, also from the brown color family.
The color should work well with grays and other neutral colors as well as softer blues and greens.
| Khaki Shade | Khaki Hex Code | CMYK Khaki Color Code (%) | RGB Khaki Color Code | Khaki Color |
| Indian Khaki | #d3b09c | 0, 17, 26, 17 | 211, 176, 156 |
Khaki Color Combinations
If you want to work with the color khaki, you are going to have to find out the colors that go with khaki. These color combinations can be used in all forms of design from web pages to interior design and fashion. Khaki is considered a neutral color, so it can work well with most other colors. However, some colors should move up to the top of that list, such as green colors, blues, and other neutrals like white, and even black.
To find the best color combination with khaki, it is a good idea to check the color wheel. We did mention that khaki is not technically found on the color wheel, however, many of the different shades of khaki have undertones, and these can be found on the color wheel. There are various terms you learn from understanding color theory. In this case, it will be connected to the types of color combinations.
Complementary Khaki Color Combinations
This is one of the more common color combinations and is easy to determine. All you do is locate a specific color and directly opposite this, you will find the complementary color. These colors work amazingly well when placed alongside each other, as they tend to make each other stand out, or form a contrast.
For example, the complementary color of orange is blue. So, for this particular khaki, we are using the below example.
The complementary color for this khaki color, which has orange undertones, will be a soft blue color. You also have split complementary colors, which are the colors found next to your primary complementary color. For even more colors, you can also consider a tetradic color scheme that is made with four colors and consists of two sets of complementary colors.
| Shade | Hex Code | CMYK Color Code (%) | RGB Color Code | Color |
| Khaki | #c3b091 | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 | |
| Soft Blue | #91a4c3 | 26, 16, 0, 24 | 145, 164, 195 |
Analogous Khaki Color Combinations
These can be described as colors that are located close to each, or next to each other. They tend to work well since they all have similarities. This color combination is usually pleasing to look at and can also be calming. Below is an example of analogous colors for the color khaki, which are slightly desaturated green and red.
| Shade | Hex Code | CMYK Color Code (%) | RGB Color Code | Color |
| Soft Red | #c39791 | 0, 23, 26, 24 | 195, 151, 145 | |
| Khaki | #c3b091 | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 | |
| Soft Green | #bdc391 | 3, 0, 26, 24 | 189, 195, 145 |
Triadic Khaki Color Combination
The more colors involved in a color scheme, the more difficult it can be to create a harmonious look. However, you can look at what is called a triadic color scheme, which is another combination that creates contrast. These colors are equally spread out on the color wheel, in the form of a triangle.
You can go even further and try a square color combination that involves four colors that are evenly spaced.
| Shade | Hex Code | CMYK Color Code (%) | RGB Color Code | Color |
| Soft Violet | #b091c3 | 10, 26, 0, 24 | 176, 145, 195 | |
| Khaki | #c3b091 | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 | |
| Soft Cyan | #91c3b0 | 26, 0, 10, 24 | 145, 195, 176 |
Monochromatic Khaki Color Combination
Taking the khaki color and using various tones and shades of the same color, will provide you with a monochromatic color scheme. These colors are all from the same parent color, so they will automatically work well together.
| Shade | Hex Code | CMYK Color Code (%) | RGB Color Code | Color |
| Khaki | #c3b091 | 0, 10, 26, 24 | 195, 176, 145 | |
| Dark Khaki | #a88c60 | 0, 17, 43, 34 | 168, 140, 96 | |
| Light Khaki | #ded4c3 | 0, 5, 12, 13 | 222, 212, 195 |
The Color Khaki in Art and Design
You might not take as much notice of the khaki color every day as you do of red, blue, or green, but it does have its place in all forms of design from fashion, art, web design, and interior design.
First, let us see how you can mix acrylic paints to form a khaki color.
Creating the Color Khaki With Acrylic Paints
Khaki is a brownish color that has a yellowish undertone and can be made by mixing some complementary colors. A basic brown can be created, and then lightened by adding white to create a khaki tone.
What complementary colors would be best to create khaki? The ideal brown can be created by blending orange and blue. Remember to create your own color palette as you experiment with blending colors, as this will help you in the future if you wish to create the same color. Take some orange paint place it onto a mixing palette, and next to this add some blue.
Then take tiny amounts of blue and add them to the orange. The blue will darken the orange and slowly turn it brown. Once you have reached a brown color, you can then add in small amounts of white until you have your khaki color.
You can also blend red and green, which will make a darker shade of brown. You will need a little more white to create a khaki color. You can also try creating a khaki color using purple and red. These two colors will make a muddier type of brown and will also need quite a bit of white to reach a khaki or more of a light tan color.
You could also use brown paint from the tube, or consider an ochre or raw umber, to which you can add white to achieve a khaki color.
The Khaki Color and Design
The khaki color has been used for many years as a favorite color in fashion. As long as you do not make a combination of gray or other shades of khaki and gray, this will make a rather boring color combination for an outfit. So, pairing it with the right colors to create a balanced look is important.
Khaki can be used in both casual as well as formal outfits, the khaki pants being an example of something more casual. However, the color khaki can also be any other clothing item and does not have to only be for pants. When it comes to online marketing, color plays an important role. Since khaki is neutral and you have various shades, the lighter shades offer a more versatile option. Khaki is pleasant on the eye and is a color that is not too bold or overbearing.
There are different shades of khaki, so you can easily pick one that suits you best.
Using Khaki for Interior Design
Khaki is considered a sophisticated neutral color that works well as a background color and provides a natural look to a space that can be kept for many years without changing the look. The lighter or paler shades of khaki work well in rooms with more natural light, which helps to bring more warmth and brightness into a room. These colors are perfect for larger living areas and even to bring some warmth into a bedroom. The deeper green or gray khaki colors can be used in most rooms.
The khaki color can be used with a range of other colors to create more contrast within a room. The color is perfect for creating a relaxing or calming and welcoming atmosphere. Adding natural elements like wicker, and stone and using wood can also enhance the natural look. When you have a neutral background, like khaki, you can add color by various means. Keep it simple, for example, a couch, rug, or throw can always add a pop of color.
Now that you know a little more about the khaki color and what khaki color combinations you can use, you can try them for yourself. Whether it is a light or dark khaki color, you have the option of choosing the color you want. You no longer have to stick to a single color choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Color Is Khaki?
The khaki color can be described as being a light brown that has a yellowish undertone. The pale color is considered a bit darker than beige and is a softer color than tan. The color was originally based on the uniforms of the British army in the 19th century.
Are There Colors That Go With Khaki?
Khaki is a neutral color and can work with almost any color, but does work best with other neutrals like white, beige, tan, and black. The color khaki also works well with shades of blue and green colors.
Are There Shades of Khaki?
Like all colors, there is a variety of tones and shades of khaki. Khaki is not a single color, and you can get anything from a lighter to a darker shade. The original khaki for the military uniforms was brown with a yellowish undertone, however, this changed to a slightly darker version that has a more greenish undertone and is known as olive drab.
