Popular violets

Add sass and glamour with the favourite purples!

Note: Click on the testpot or colour name for full colour information. Click on the buy links to purchase a testpot from the online Resene ColorShop.

Purple rain

Purple is one of the most provocative colours of the spectrum, embracing all hues from palest lavenders, mauve pinks, magentas and deep violets through to dark aubergine, created by varying their blue and red composition.

Purple symbolises royalty, spirituality and creativity. It has a quietness about it that lowers stress, depresses the appetite for food (and other things!) and calms. Those who love purple tend to be visionary, complex and elegant.

Pretty and pastel, purple tinted with white creates delicate lilac or mauve. Pale yellows, from sharp lemon to primrose, are complementary to the whole range of purple shades. For a zingy accent, add a splash of bright lime. Softer pistachio teamed with purple makes a fresh vibrant statement, while muted grey-greens are restful when the purple is softened to a smoky haze. Duck-egg blues and eau-de-nil are always a safe bet as they harmonise well with purples.

The more intense shades of purple are more dramatic than their paler relatives. Rich, clear and vibrant, they are perfect for a very showy dining room or hallway. Decor will appear opulent and daring. The addition of antiques, gilded mirrors, picture frames and elaborate light fittings will evoke feelings of comfort and luxury.

If you have a budding fairy princess in your family, use soft lavender with lemon trim, voile or muslin curtains and crisp white and coriander green furniture to create a bedroom fit for a princess.

Don't despair if purple makes some feel like a shrinking violet or is too passionate for your home. A neutral background like pearl grey provides a wonderful foil for a little splash of purple – the perfect way to enjoy purple without being overwhelmed by it.

Decorating with violets...

• Learn more about decorating with purple
• Get inspired by other decorators who have used violet in their projects
• Get inspired by other decorators who have used purple in their projects
• Learn more about decorating with pink
• Get inspired by other decorators who have used pink in their projects
• View the latest looks in violet

Always try out your colours using a Resene testpot in the area you plan to paint before you start your painting project – that’s the best way to confirm the colour looks right before you start painting. You can also can order drawdowns online.

View popular Resene colours: Top 20 | Reds | Oranges | Yellows | Greens | Blues | Violets | Browns | Greys/blacks | Wood stains

Resene has changed the way it measures and creates electronic colours – read more