Navajo white
A pale yellow-orange paint shade named for the Navajo Nation flag’s background
Navajo white is a soft, light yellow-orange colour, named for its resemblance to the background of the Navajo Nation flag. It became a common paint choice in American homes from the 1970s to 1990s and is now listed among web colours.
Share on WhatsAppOpen in the lab
- Named for the background of the Navajo Nation flag
- A pastel yellow-orange, not a true white
- Standard paint colour in US homes from the 1970s to 1990s
- Added to the X11 and web colour lists in 1989
What colour is Navajo white?
Navajo white is a gentle, pale colour that sits between yellow and orange, with a pastel quality. Though its name suggests a shade of white, it is actually closer to a creamy yellow-orange. The colour is most often seen in paints and is recognised for its soft, warm appearance.
Where does Navajo white come from?
The colour takes its name from the background of the Navajo Nation flag, which it closely resembles. The term is mainly used in the context of paint. Despite the word 'white' in its name, it is not considered a true white but rather a light yellow or orange.
How Navajo white is defined
Navajo white is not a pigment or dye but a colour standard defined for paints and digital use. Its shade is set by a specific hex code (#FFDEAD) in the X11 colour list, which was adopted for web colours in 1989.
Where Navajo white is used
This colour was widely chosen for interior walls in American tract homes and apartment buildings from the 1970s through the 1990s. It is still present in digital design as part of the web colour palette. Its soft tone made it a popular neutral for large spaces.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
A yellow ribbon tied round a tree or pinned to a coat means someone is waiting for a loved one to come home. It spread during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 to 1981.
Protection and healingLove and desireHopeSource: Yellow ribbonSchool buses across the country are painted one shade of yellow, agreed at a conference in 1939 because black lettering on it is easy to read in early morning light.
Protection and healingSource: School bus yellowThe yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersShades and relatives of Navajo white
Navajo white is sometimes confused with other light paint shades like bone or off-white, but it has a distinct yellow-orange tint. Over time, other pale colours such as greys and different pastels have become more common in similar settings.
Colours that go with Navajo white
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFDEAD. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Navajo white
What colour is Navajo white?
Navajo white is a soft, pale yellow-orange shade, often described as a pastel version of these colours. It is not a true white.
Where does the name Navajo white come from?
The name comes from its similarity to the background colour of the Navajo Nation flag.
Where has Navajo white been commonly used?
It was a standard paint colour for interiors in many American homes and apartment complexes from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Is Navajo white a web colour?
Yes, Navajo white has been part of the web colour palette since 1989, defined by the hex code #FFDEAD.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Navajo white", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). 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.
More of the yellow family
All of yellow
#FFFF00
Yellow
A primary colour between green and orange, seen in sunlight, leaves, and pigmentsBasic colour · 🇫🇷 France +5
#FFFDD0
Cream
A soft yellow-white named after the top layer of milkNamed shade
#C2B280
Ecru
A pale, greyish yellow once named for unbleached linenNamed shade
#FFF700
Lemon
A vivid yellow named for the colour of lemon fruitNamed shade
#FFA700
Chrome yellow
A bright yellow pigment made from lead chromate, once popular in art and industryPigment
#006B3C
Cadmium pigments
A family of strong yellow, orange, red and green pigments made from cadmium compoundsPigment
#F4F0EC
Isabelline
A pale grey-yellow or fawn colour seen in animal coats and old fashionNamed shade
#FFD800
School bus yellow
A yellow made for North American school buses to stand out and be seenNamed shade · 🇺🇸 United States +2
More colours tied to the United States
The colours of the United States
#FF0000
Red
A primary colour seen in light, pigment, and tradition worldwideBasic colour · 🇺🇸 United States +5
#800080
Purple
A cool colour between red and blue, long linked with royalty and rarityBasic colour · 🇱🇧 Lebanon +5
#6A5DFF
Indigo
A deep blue named for the dye once exported from IndiaNamed shade · 🇮🇳 India +5
Red
Cinnabar
A scarlet to brick-red mineral and the main source of mercury and vermilion pigmentColour named from nature · 🇪🇸 Spain +5