Shades of purple and violet aren’t too common in nature, but that makes them all that much more spectacular when they do appear. One of these lovely shades is mauve — the pale purple, pink-tinged shade of the wild mallow flower found in Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
Mauve is a color that’s much more complex than it seems. It’s a shade of purple, but it’s also close to pale magenta. It’s simultaneously cool and invigorating, highly saturated and light. When you use it carefully, it can enrich almost any kind of design project. Let’s take a deep dive into the wonders of mauve!
What Color Is Mauve?
The color mauve is named after the mallow flower — “mauve” is the French word for “mallow.” The color itself can also be called “mallow,” although that name is a lot rarer.
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
If you look closely at this color, you might start to question whether it’s a shade of purple or pink. After all, the color of actual mallow flowers varies, and some of them look more pink than purple.
Mauve is technically purple, but there’s a reason it looks so close to pink — it’s essentially a very dilute magenta with added gray and blue. If you were to place it on the color wheel, it would sit roughly between a pale tint of magenta and a pale tint of violet.
Is Mauve the Same as Lavender? What About Lilac?
It’s easy to confuse mauve with other purplish shades. It’s particularly easy to confuse with lavender, another shade named after a flower. Here’s a look at the two next to one another:
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
Lavender (floral)
Hex #B57EDC
RGB 181, 126, 220
CMYK 18, 43, 0, 14
HSL 275.1°, 57.3%, 67.8%
Lavender flowers are darker than mallow flowers, so it makes sense that the color lavender would be considerably darker than mauve.
The lavender shade above is sometimes described as floral lavender. That name is meant to distinguish it from the web color lavender:
Lavender (web)
Hex #E6E6FA
RGB 230, 230, 250
CMYK 8, 8, 0, 2
HSL 240°, 66.7%, 94.1%
You might wonder why both of these shades are considered to be versions of lavender. Floral lavender is the approximate color of the darker petals on the lavender plant. Web lavender is the color of the palest part of lavender’s petals. Both have some level of similarity to mauve.
Because plenty of people mix up lavender and lilac, you might wonder how similar lilac is to mauve. As you can see, mauve and lilac also look quite similar:
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
Lilac
Hex #C8A2C8
RGB 200, 162, 200
CMYK 0, 19, 0, 22
HSL 300°, 25.7%, 71%
Although these flower-inspired shades are all different, they can work nicely together. If you’re working on a floral design, you may want to keep them in mind!
Mauve in History
Every color has a history, but some color histories are more interesting than others. Mauve is one of the more interesting ones. It’s a color that has influenced the textile world, made a splash in the realm of fashion, and even managed to evolve over time. Here’s a condensed version of this shade’s remarkable story.
An Accidental Wonder
Mauve was a shade that took the world by storm, but it was created purely by accident. In 1856, William Henry Perkin, an 18-year-old chemist at the Royal College of Chemistry, was trying to create quinine (an anti-malaria drug). He was unsuccessful, but he did produce something interesting: a richly-colored purple dye.
This discovery was a pivotal one for Perkin and the textile world as a whole. He dropped out of college and began producing the dye on an industrial scale. At first, he called it “Tyrian purple” (after the ancient purple dye made from sea snails), but he changed the name to “aniline purple” and finally settled on “mauve.”
The Mauve Decade
For centuries before Perkin developed his famous mauve dye, purple clothing had been reserved for royalty and the very wealthy. So it’s no wonder that mauve-colored clothing became wildly popular! It was so well-loved that the 1890s came to be nicknamed “The Mauve Decade.”
Mauve dye may have been a hit, but it did have one major disadvantage: it faded very easily. It was eventually replaced by longer-lasting synthetic dyes, but its impact on the fashion world and American culture as a whole was undeniable.
An Evolving Shade
If you look at photos of some of the first fabrics colored with mauve dye, you might notice that this early iteration of the color is much darker than the color we know as “mauve” today. As is the case with many different words, our culture’s understanding of “mauve” underwent a gradual shift that ended up far away from the original shade.
Over time, chemists began calling the color of the original dye “mauveine.” That name distinguishes it from the paler shade we call “mauve” today. Oddly enough, the contemporary version of mauve is closer to the color of an actual mallow flower than Perkins’s original dye! Below, you can see the stark difference between the shades:
Mauveine
Hex #8D029B
RGB 141, 2, 155
CMYK 9, 99, 0, 39
HSL 294.5°, 97.5%, 30.8%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
The Meaning of Mauve
Before you decide to use a particular color in a design, make sure you consider more than just the aesthetic. Each color’s meaning and cultural associations shape the impact your design has on your audience. Here’s a quick look at some of mauve’s most meaningful associations.
Spirituality
Purple is a shade that has long been associated with spirituality. That might be because in Hinduism and Buddhism, it’s associated with the crown chakra. The crown chakra is a center of energy at the top of the head, and it’s connected to spiritual enlightenment. Mauve is a particularly light and ethereal shade of purple, so its connection to spirituality is especially fitting!
Compassion
Mauve has a certain softness to it, so it makes sense that it’s associated with caring and compassion — both of self and of others. It’s cool without being cold, and it offers a sweet, uplifting energy.
Youth
Soft shades of pink and purple have a youthful energy. Some people might even call it childish! If you like the general youthful vibe of pale pink but want something just a bit more grown-up, mauve offers a great middle ground.
Inspiration
Mauve is an especially dreamy shade of purple. If you want to create a design that motivates, inspires, and uplifts, it’s definitely a color worth considering. Try incorporating it into a swirling, watercolor-style design.
Shades of Mauve: Example Color Codes
Mauve might not be as popular now as it once was, but it’s still a versatile color that’s perfect for a variety of applications. Don’t feel limited to the “standard” shade of mauve mentioned above — you might be interested in one of its many different shades. Here are a few especially useful ones.
1. Opera Mauve
Opera mauve is warmer and more reddish than mauve. It’s closer to being a shade of dusty rose, so it’s a good choice for vintage-inspired designs.
Opera Mauve
Hex #B784A7
RGB 183, 132, 167
CMYK 0, 28, 9, 28
HSL 318.8°, 26.2%, 61.8%
2. Mauve (Crayola)
If you grew up coloring with Crayola crayons, this shade might look familiar! Despite the name, it’s a lot different from the color typically known as mauve. “Plain” mauve is more of a purplish shade, but Crayola mauve is closer to being a shade of pink.
Mauve (Crayola)
Hex #E285FF
RGB 226, 133, 255
CMYK 11, 48, 0, 0
HSL 285.7°, 100%, 76.1%
3. Light Mauve
Like opera mauve, light mauve is pretty far removed from “plain” mauve. It’s warmer, dustier, and closer to being a shade of pink.
Light Mauve
Hex #C292A1
RGB 194, 146, 161
CMYK 0, 25, 17, 24
HSL 341.3°, 28.2%, 66.7%
4. Mauve Taupe
This unusual shade sits right between taupe — a shade of grayish brown — and mauve. Nobody would call it a neutral, but it’s a lot more subdued than your standard mauve.
Mauve Taupe
Hex #915F6D
RGB 145, 95, 109
CMYK 0, 34, 25, 43
HSL 343.2°, 20.8%, 47.1%
5. Rose Mauve
Somewhat confusingly, rose mauve is closer to neutral than mauve taupe. It’s somewhat similar to dusty rose — it’s just a little dustier and a little less red.
Rose Mauve
Hex #AF9690
RGB 175, 150, 144
CMYK 0, 14, 18, 31
HSL 11.6°, 16.2%, 62.5%
How Does Mauve Compare to Other Pinkish and/or Purplish Shades?
Above, you saw how mauve stacks up against lavender and lilac, two somewhat similar pinkish-purple colors. Here are a few other similar colors for comparison.
1. Dusty Rose vs. Mauve
Dusty rose is an iconic pinkish shade. It reached peak popularity in the 1990s, but it still fits in with modern design schemes!
That said, dusty rose is a lot different from mauve. A quick scan of the RGB values below shows you that mauve contains much more blue and is much more saturated.
Dusty Rose
Hex #B48E92
RGB 180, 142, 146
CMYK 0, 21, 19, 29
HSL 353.7°, 20.2%, 63.1%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
2. Electric Purple vs. Mauve
Based on the name, it might sound like electric purple has little in common with mauve. But as you can see, these colors are closer than you might think! Both are very saturated purples, although mauve is a lot lighter than electric purple.
Electric Purple
Hex #BF00FF
RGB 191, 0, 255
CMYK 25, 100, 0, 0
HSL 284.9°, 100%, 50%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
3. Very Light Purple vs. Mauve
This shade might make you think of sweet-smelling, delicately colored flowers. And as you can see in its HSL values, it’s lighter than mauve. However, despite the name, very light purple is warm enough that it appears pinkish. It goes beautifully with mauve — especially if you’re working on a floral design.
Very Light Purple
Hex #F6CEFC
RGB 246, 206, 252
CMYK 2, 18, 0, 1
HSL 292.2°, 88.5%, 89.8%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
4. Light Purple vs. Mauve
Light purple isn’t quite as light as mauve (although it’s close). It’s also significantly cooler. Next to it, mauve looks downright pink!
Light Purple
Hex #CBC3E3
RGB 203, 195, 227
CMYK 11, 14, 0, 11
HSL 255°, 36.4%, 82.7%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
5. Pastel Violet vs. Mauve
Many shades of mauve come close to being shades of pastel violet. So it might come as a surprise that pastel violet actually has more red undertones than mauve. Mauve includes a lot more blue, and it’s also significantly lighter.
Pastel Violet
Hex #CB99C9
RGB 203, 153, 201
CMYK 0, 25, 1, 20
HSL 302.4°, 32.5%, 69.8%
Mauve
Hex #E0B0FF
RGB 224, 176, 255
CMYK 12, 31, 0, 0
HSL 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
What Colors Pair Well With Mauve?
Mauve is an intriguing color all on its own. But unless you’re working on a project that’s entirely monochromatic, you’ll need to pick out a color (or more than one) to go with mauve. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.
1. Charcoal Gray
Hex Codes: #36454F, #D3AAEE, #F7F7F3
The blue and gray undertones found in mauve make it a great companion for cooler neutrals. Charcoal gray is an especially great choice. It looks good next to mauve, and it’s also dark enough to ground an entire design.
You can adjust the quantity of each color to suit the energy you’re trying to create. For example, if you’re going for a relatively quiet design but want to add some interest, consider a mostly charcoal design with just a few hints of mauve. To create something a little more energetic, all you have to do is flip the colors.
2. Warm Beige
Hex Codes: #F5F5DC, #E0A4F4, #604D53
Mauve goes well with cool neutrals, but you can also balance out its cooler energy with a warm-leaning neutral or two. Warm beige is a safe choice, especially if you want something a little more understated.
For example, let’s say you’re designing a living room. You create a quiet, welcoming space by layering various shades of warm beige. However, all by itself, this color scheme is a little dull. Adding in a few mauve accents — even little things like accent pillows and wall hangings — can quickly make it memorable!
3. Sage Green
Hex Codes: #9CAF88, #E4ADFF, #705D5C
Sage green’s undying popularity makes it a good choice for various types of design. As you might have already realized, the mauve/sage combination is especially effective for floral designs.
Because both colors have grayish undertones, they’re ideal for creating vintage-style floral patterns. You might even consider layering in some more shades of purple and pink for some variety.
4. Navy Blue
Hex Codes: #000080, #D9B1FB, #D3D3D9
Navy blue isn’t technically a neutral, but some shades of it can function similarly to one. It’s also a color dark enough to ground a design.
As you can see above, the light/dark contrast between mauve and navy is stark enough to create eye-catching patterns. If you need to create a pattern of cool colors and are looking for a somewhat uncommon color combination, this is one worth considering.
5. Turquoise
Hex Codes: #30D5C8, #E5B6F6, #5C4754
Mauve is great for creating quiet, relaxing color schemes. It’s also great for creating color schemes that pop. When you put mauve next to turquoise, you definitely get the latter!
Because it’s so attention-getting, this is a color combo that’s great for advertising and various kinds of signage. However, including too much of both colors can quickly get overwhelming. Keep everything in balance by choosing one as a main color and the other as an accent.
How Do You Successfully Use Mauve in a Design?
Mauve — and all its shades and variations — can work beautifully in a wide variety of designs. Technically, there aren’t rules when it comes to using mauve (or any color), but if you’d like a few suggestions to get you started, here are some tips for using mauve in your next design.
Pair It With Cool Neutrals
Mauve was pretty popular in the 1980s. At least when it came to interiors, it was most commonly used alongside peachy beiges and other warm-leaning neutrals.
Unless you’re deliberately going for a retro vibe, pair mauve with crisp, cool neutrals. Cool whites, deep charcoal grays, and dusty taupes are all good choices. This kind of all-cool color scheme gives timeless mauve a modern edge!
Unlock the Power of Purple
If you love purple, there’s no need to limit yourself to just one shade! Mauve can easily be layered with other purples to create a monochromatic (but still dynamic) color scheme.
You can shape the overall mood of the design by adjusting the level of contrast. For example, if you want a higher-energy look, incorporate greater contrast with aubergine or a similar dark shade. Try adding interest and texture with a gradient-style palette — you can include a range of purples between mauve and aubergine.
Getting Back to Floral Roots
Mauve is versatile and cosmopolitan enough that it’s easy to forget it’s a color inspired by nature. But if you love this shade’s floral energy, you can lean into it with a bouquet of other plant-inspired colors. Soft shades of rose, lavender, and even baby blue are good places to start.
This kind of color scheme obviously would work well if you’re creating a floral pattern, but you don’t have to feel limited! Any design that includes mauve, verdant green, and a few petal-inspired shades is sure to make your audience think of spring.
Create a New Dimension With Metallics
Mauve can definitely be earthy. But when you put it alongside glimmering metallics, it can look remarkably upscale, too. It’s more versatile than you might think — mauve can work just as well with warm metallics as it can with cooler ones.
If you want to give a nod to the old-school, royal combination of deep purple and gold, try combining a mauve wall with gold wall sconces, picture frames, or other metal accents. If you want a sleek, all-cool aesthetic, substitute silver or pewter metal accents for gold ones.
Where Will Mauve Take You Next?
Mauve is wonderfully dreamy and unique. But despite its distinctiveness, it’s right at home in vintage and modern designs of all styles. If you’re ready for an adventure, add a touch — or a whole canvas — of mauve to your next project!
