Mauve Color Meaning | Connotations, Palette & Hex
#CEA3FF
A soft, muted mauve can convey refined elegance, while bolder, more vivid shades offer a livelier alternative to pastel lavender or periwinkle.
This article explores the meaning of the color mauve, shows how mauve can shape brand identity, and showcases a range of shades and color combinations to help you find the right palette for your mauve-inspired project.
If you’ve already found inspiration in an image with a mauve color palette, QuillBot’s free online color palette generator can identify the hex codes of its main colors to help you build your own mauve color scheme.>/p>
What color is mauve?
The color name mauve typically describes a light, muted shade of pink-leaning purple that is close to a light tint of violet and typically a little less pink than a lilac and less blue than a light lavender.
To work with the colors shown in the graphic above in a color tool, like QuillBot’s free online Color Wheel, enter the hex code #CEA3FF for mauve, #E6A3FF for lilac, and #C5B2FF for light lavender.
What does mauve symbolize?
Mauve is a soft, understated, pastel-leaning shade of purple that can be used in branding design to express:
- Sophistication and calm
- Creativity and individuality
- Dreaminess and vintage charm
In interior design, you can use mauve to:
- Create a tranquil, restful atmosphere with a subtle hint of warmth
- Add softness and depth to neutral or cool color schemes
- Introduce gentle color in a way that feels elegant rather than overpowering
Color conversion
#CEA3FF| Format | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | CEA3FF |
| RGB | 206, 163, 255 |
| RGB Percent | 81%, 64%, 100% |
| CMYK | 0.19, 0.36, 0, 0 |
| HSL | 268°, 100%, 82% |
Color variations
Tints
- #dec2ff • Click to copy
- #efe0ff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
- #f4ebff • Click to copy
Shades
- #be85ff • Click to copy
- #ad66ff • Click to copy
- #9d47ff • Click to copy
- #8d29ff • Click to copy
- #7c0aff • Click to copy
- #6d00eb • Click to copy
- #5f00cc • Click to copy
- #5100ad • Click to copy
Tones
- #5a00c2 • Click to copy
- #6208c9 • Click to copy
- #6a12ce • Click to copy
- #721dd3 • Click to copy
- #7a29d6 • Click to copy
- #823fcf • Click to copy
- #8b54c9 • Click to copy
- #9368c4 • Click to copy
Shades of mauve
Names for the kind of muted shades of mauve that are often used in contemporary interior design include:
- Thistle #D8BFD8
- Opera mauve #B784A7
- Mauve taupe #915F6D
Names for more vivid shades of mauve include:
- French mauve#D473D4
- Mauveine#8D029B
For an especially light mauve color, try the color names:
- Lavender blush #FFF0F5
- Pale purple #FAE6FA
Mauve hex code
Mauve is not a named CSS color, but some commonly used hex codes for the color mauve include:
- #E0B0FF
- #CEA3FF
- #E285FF
- #B784A7
Mauve color palette
Looking for colors that go well with mauve? Here are some mauve color palettes to give you inspiration for the perfect mauve color combinations for your project.
Mauve, soft taupe, warm ivory white, and slate gray for sophisticated and calm
If you want to view and refine these colors in QuillBot’s Color Wheel tool, enter #B784A7 for mauve, #C7B8A3 for soft taupe, #F5F1EB for warm ivory, and #6E6A73 for slate gray.
Vivid mauve, dusty coral, deep plum, and pale blush for creativity and individuality
If you want to view and refine these colors in QuillBot’s Color Wheel tool, enter #C67CEB for vivid mauve, #D98C8C for dusty coral, #5A3E5C for deep plum, and #F3E6EF for pale blush.
Antique mauve, muted rose, cream, and sage green for dreaminess and vintage charm
If you want to view and refine these colors in QuillBot’s Color Wheel tool, enter #B58AA3 for antique mauve, #D6A5B8 for muted rose, #F7F1E8 for cream, and #A8B2A1 for sage green.
- Mono
- Analogous
- Complimentary
Frequently asked questions about the color mauve
- Is mauve purple?
-
Yes, mauve is purple. Mauve is typically a light, muted violet shade of purple that is close to lilac on the color wheel.
- What is a dark mauve color?
-
If you’re looking for a dark mauve color, try color names like:
- Mauve taupe (Example hex code: #915F6D)
- Old mauve (#673147)
- Opera mauve (#B784A7)
- French lilac (#86608E)
To view and refine these colors in QuillBot’s free Color Wheel tool, simply enter their hex codes as the base color.







