Harvest gold
A deep yellow-gold shade popular in 1970s homes and cars
Harvest gold is a strong yellow-gold colour, first named 'harvest' in 1923. It became widely used for metal surfaces, cars, and home appliances in the 1970s, but fell out of fashion by the early 1980s.
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- First called 'harvest' in 1923
- A favourite for 1970s appliances and cars
- Often seen on shag carpets in the 1970s
- Fell out of style by the early 1980s
What colour is Harvest gold?
Harvest gold is a deep, rich yellow-gold colour. It stands out from other gold shades by its strong yellow tone, which gives it a warm and earthy appearance. The colour was especially noticeable on metal surfaces and home items, making it a familiar sight in kitchens and living rooms during its peak years.
Where does Harvest gold come from?
The name 'harvest' for this colour first appeared in English in 1923. It was later called 'harvest gold', likely reflecting the golden tones seen in ripe crops at harvest time. The colour became especially well known in the 1970s, when it was widely used in home design and on cars.
Where Harvest gold is used
Harvest gold was a popular choice for metal surfaces, including cars and household appliances, throughout the 1970s. It was also a common colour for shag carpets. By the early 1980s, both the colour and these design trends had faded from fashion.
Gold around the world
What the gold and metallics family means from country to country.
Dubai is called the City of Gold for its gold souk, a market of hundreds of jewellers. Much of what is sold is bridal jewellery for South Asian and Arab families.
Luck and prosperityWeddings and marriageSource: Dubai Gold SoukThe golden Sun of May at the centre of the flag recalls the May Revolution of 1810. Its face is linked with Inti, the Inca sun god.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Sun of MayGold stands for wealth. It is paired with red on New Year decorations, wedding invitations and shop signs to wish for a prosperous year.
Luck and prosperityOptimismSource: Color in Chinese cultureThe Muisca made offerings of gold figures to the gods at Lake Guatavita. The ritual of a new ruler covered in gold dust gave rise to the legend of El Dorado.
Sacred and holyAweSource: El DoradoThe black, red and gold flag goes back to the democratic movement of the early 1800s and the 1848 revolutions. The colours are often traced to the uniforms of the Lutzow volunteers who fought Napoleon.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of GermanyThe ancient Egyptians held that the flesh of the gods was gold, which never tarnishes. Royal coffins and masks, like Tutankhamun's, were made of it.
Sacred and holyRoyalty and powerAweSource: Mask of TutankhamunShades and relatives of Harvest gold
Harvest gold is closely related to other gold and yellow shades. It was often paired with avocado green in 1970s interiors, but its strong yellow tone sets it apart from paler or more metallic golds.
Colours that go with Harvest gold
Harmonies are worked out from the value #DA9100. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Harvest gold
What colour is harvest gold?
Harvest gold is a deep, warm yellow-gold shade that was especially popular in the 1970s.
Where does the name 'harvest gold' come from?
The colour was first called 'harvest' in 1923, likely inspired by the golden tones of ripe crops.
What was harvest gold used for?
It was widely used on metal surfaces, such as cars and home appliances, and for shag carpets in the 1970s.
When did harvest gold go out of style?
Harvest gold, along with similar colours and shag carpets, went out of fashion by the early 1980s.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Gold (color)" (the section "Harvest gold"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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