Walnut vs Chestnut — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

Walnutnearest vs Chestnutnearest

#794A2C · #7D4543

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 0/100 (fail) · Harmony 92/100 (analogous) · Distinguishable 22/100 (hard to tell apart) · Match 65/100 (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

Harmony92Analogous

Analogous

21° apart

Distinguishable22Hard to tell apart

normal

tritanopia

ΔE 16 (5.4 under CVD)

Match65Different

ΔE 16 — different

How different are Walnut and Chestnut?

Walnut and Chestnut are a clear pair (ΔE 16). They have closely related hues (21° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

Walnut text on Chestnut: 1.01:1 (Fail); Chestnut text on Walnut: 1.01:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #F5BD9C clears it.

Common questions

Do Walnut and Chestnut go well together?

Analogous — analogous — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 92/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is Walnut readable as text on Chestnut?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.0:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #F5BD9C clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between Walnut and Chestnut?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 16 — a clear pair.

Are Walnut and Chestnut the same colour?

clearly different colours (ΔE 16).

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