African Purple
C2-781 · #9E98AB · LRV 33 — cool blue tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Blue Nova17
- 2Gothic Purple24
- 3African Purple33
- 4French Lilac56
- 5Lavender Mist63
What Color Is African Purple, Really?
African Purple reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how C2 Paint C2-781 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for African Purple
African Purple is versatile enough for full rooms but has enough depth to anchor a space, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms and cabinetry alike. Purples range from restful (bedrooms) to dramatic (powder rooms) depending on depth.
How Lighting Changes African Purple
African Purple sits in the mid-range at LRV 33, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about African Purple 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 C2 Paint C2-781 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 | Ash VioletSW 6549 · Sherwin-Williams | 1.9 | 34 | Color page → |
| Behr | Night MusicS570-4 · Behr | 2.3 | 32 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Palace Walls8004-48D · Valspar | 3.7 | 34 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Purple SurfPPG1173-5 · PPG / Glidden | 0.6 | 32 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Purple SurfPPG1173-5 · Glidden | 1.0 | 31 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Grayed Lilac344-3DB · Dutch Boy | 1.9 | 34 | Color page → |
Similar C2 Paint Colors
The nearest shades to African Purple within C2 Paint'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 #9E98AB in HSL space. Pair African Purple with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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