African Violet
2116-50 · #C1B9C4 · LRV 51 — cool violet tone, light — bounces daylight without going clinical.
- 1Gothic Purple24
- 2Hazy Lilac29
- 3African Violet51
- 4French Lilac56
- 5Lavender Mist63
What Color Is African Violet, Really?
African Violet reads as a cool violet tone — light — bounces daylight without going clinical. The notes below cover how Benjamin Moore 2116-50 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for African Violet
African Violet is an easy whole-room color for living spaces and bedrooms, and light enough to carry onto trim or a ceiling if you want a soft, seamless look. Purples range from restful (bedrooms) to dramatic (powder rooms) depending on depth.
How Lighting Changes African Violet
At LRV 51, African Violet is a light color that bounces daylight around a room without tipping into stark white. Its violet undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. It holds its undertone in most exposures, which is what makes light shades like this so forgiving room to room.
Most complaints about African Violet are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Benjamin Moore 2116-50 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Mauve FinerySW 6282 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.4 | 51 | Color page → |
| Behr | AsterPPU16-09 · Behr | 0.9 | 49 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Sun Painter8004-2C · Valspar | 3.0 | 49 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | SilverberryPPG1173-4 · PPG / Glidden | 2.3 | 51 | Color page → |
| Glidden | SilverberryPPG1173-4 · Glidden | 2.4 | 51 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Purple Shimmer243-2DB · Dutch Boy | 4.1 | 50 | Color page → |
Similar Benjamin Moore Colors
The nearest shades to African Violet within Benjamin Moore's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #C1B9C4 in HSL space. Pair African Violet with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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