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Purples
Mauve
Mauve is a light, cool color with cool (blue, blue-green or violet) character. Its estimated light reflectance value (LRV) is about 54.1, so it reflects roughly 54% of the light that hits it.
Color facts
| Hex | #E0B0FF |
|---|---|
| RGB | 224, 176, 255 |
| HSL | 276°, 100%, 85% |
| Estimated LRV | 54.1 |
| Temperature | cool |
| Text on it | Black text, contrast 11.8:1 |
LRV here is estimated from the screen color (relative luminance). Paint brands publish measured LRVs on their own chips, which can differ.
How it reads on a wall
A comfortable whole-room wall color. It keeps rooms bright while showing more color than a white.
North-facing rooms get cool, indirect light that can push this color cooler and grayer. Test it there before committing, or pick a slightly warmer cousin.
South- and west-facing rooms get warm, strong light, which this cooler color can calm.
Rooms it suits
- Living rooms with good daylight
- Bedrooms
- Home offices
- Kitchen walls and islands
A 60-30-10 palette built on Mauve
Mauve
Anti-Flash White
Lime Mist
The 60-30-10 rule splits a room into a main color, a secondary color and an accent. Swap in real paint and fabric samples before you buy.
Harmonies
Complementary
Lime Mist#DDFFAAAnalogous
Violet Kiss#F0A0D1Analogous
Violet Heaven#CDB7FATriadic
Such a Peach#FBDDAFTriadic
Seafoam Splashes#B0EFCESplit complementary
Yellow Chalk#F5F9ADTints and shades
Lighter tints work as a ceiling or adjoining-room color; deeper shades suit trim, doors or cabinets.
Similar named colors
Closest Colors of the Year
Getting Mauve in real paint
Mauve is a name from the open color-names list (MIT license), not a specific paint product. Most paint counters can mix a close match: bring a printed or physical sample, or use a brand color-match tool, then buy a sample pot and paint a 2 by 2 foot swatch on two walls. Screens and printers shift color.
On-screen colors are approximations. Pantone, Color of the Year and brand color names are trademarks of their owners.