Convey stability and more with a pewter color.

Learn more about this ancient silver-gray color, plus fun color combinations to inspire your next project.

Pewter is a darker shade of silver-gray, named for the ancient metal comprised mostly of tin. This metal is found in historic vases, teapots, tableware, and more dating as far back as the first millennia — yet the color pewter is also an excellent option for the most contemporary designs and concepts. Let’s dive into what pewter symbolizes and how you can use it in your next project.

The meaning of pewter.

Pewter is a muted silver-gray color representing strength, neutrality, sturdiness, and seriousness. Because of its origin as a metal, this color can also represent a sense of weightiness and stability. Its connection to antiquity also conveys longevity and resilience — all of which translate to great qualities in a brand’s identity today.

Discover similar colors.

If you’re looking for colors similar to pewter, it’s best to stick within the gray family. Silver (#B8BBC1), dark gray (#9FA3AC), and light gray (#D0D2D7) are all excellent options.

Combine other colors with pewter.

For a strong, grounding effect, try creating an earthy palette by combining pewter with beige, saddle brown, chocolate, or stony gray colors. A black-white-and-pewter combination offers neutrality, sophistication, and elegance. Or, if it’s a pop of contrast you want, try pairing pewter with bright colors such as yellow, coral, hot pink, or magenta.

Since every color has meaning, pewter can take on new significance as you pair it with different color combinations. Experiment with using pewter as a primary or accent color, and see how its presence changes your designs. Discover even more ways you can put the color wheel to work in your graphic design concepts.

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