Maroon Color Palettes
Maroon, burgundy, wine and oxblood — what each one actually is, what to pair with them, and which text stays readable on top.
Maroon is this site's namesake — a deep red-brown that reads as warm, formal and grounded. Below: how it differs from its closest relatives, the pairings that never miss, and palettes from the library that put maroon to work.
Maroon vs burgundy vs wine vs oxblood
These four get mixed up constantly. They are all dark reds — the difference is how much brown, purple or black is mixed in. Click any card for its full color page (values, shades, harmonies).
On all four, white and cream text pass WCAG AA easily; black text fails on every one (1.3–2.2:1) — never put black body text on a maroon background.
Maroon & gold
The classic formal pairing — weddings, wine labels, premium brands.
Maroon for weddings
Maroon with blush, cream and sage is the autumn-wedding staple.
Dark & moody maroons
More maroon palettes
Browse all maroon palettes Fix your own maroon palette in the Workbench