Burgundy vs maroon: the real difference
They look alike at a glance, and both are deep reds with white text scoring above 9:1. The difference is the undertone. Burgundy has a little blue in it (32 out of 255), which pulls its hue to 347°, on the purple side of red. Maroon, #800000, has no blue at all and sits at 0°, leaning towards brown in most light.
| Burgundy | Maroon | |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #900020 | #800000 |
| RGB | 144, 0, 32 | 128, 0, 0 |
| Hue | 347° (towards purple) | 0° (pure red, darkened) |
| White text | 9.52:1 | 10.95:1 |
| Named after | Red wine from Burgundy | French marron, chestnut |
A quick test: put the colour next to a purple. If they seem related, it is burgundy. If it looks closer to a brown leather, it is maroon. The maroon page compares maroon with brown.
Colours that suit burgundy
Burgundy#900020
Gold#FFD700
Champagne#E9D2AC
Navy#000080
Blush#FFC0CB
- Gold or champagne: rich and formal. Gold on burgundy scores 6.78:1, champagne 6.47:1, so both work for text.
- Navy: two dark colours that look tailored together, common in menswear and university branding.
- Blush pink: the lighter, softer version of the same red family, popular for autumn weddings.
Questions
Is there a CSS keyword for burgundy?
No. Write #900020 or rgb(144, 0, 32). The nearest keywords are maroon and darkred.
Is burgundy warm or cool?
Cooler than most reds, because of the blue undertone. That is why it pairs easily with navy and grey.