Color spec
| Brand | C2 Paint |
| Name | African Purple |
| SKU | C2-781 |
| Hex | #9E98AB |
| RGB | 158, 152, 171 |
| HSL | 259°, 10%, 63% |
| LRV | 33 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Purple |
About C2 Paint 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.
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.
Closest matches by brand
13 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all purple from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Clare
Kompozit
Similar C2 Paint colors
closest in the C2 Paint deckThe 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.
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.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
C2 Paint African Purple Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching African Purple from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint C2 Paint C2-781 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of African Purple
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Ash Violet (SW 6549), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 34 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone, so it substitutes for African Purple without repainting risk. See the full Ash Violet swatch →
Behr Equivalent of African Purple
At Behr, the closest color to African Purple is Fig Preserves (N110-3) — very close at ΔE 2.24, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 33) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Fig Preserves swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of African Purple
Valspar has no exact twin of African Purple. The nearest is Palace Walls (8004-48D) at ΔE 3.7 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 34 vs 33). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Palace Walls swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of African Purple
The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of African Purple is Purple Surf (PPG1173-5). At ΔE 0.64 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 32 vs 33). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Purple Surf and you'll get the same color. See the full Purple Surf swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of African Purple
Glidden's nearest match is Purple Surf (PPG1173-5), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.02). It runs slightly darker (LRV 31 vs 33) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for African Purple without repainting risk. See the full Purple Surf swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of African Purple
Dutch Boy's nearest match is Grayed Lilac (344-3DB), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 34 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone, so it substitutes for African Purple without repainting risk. See the full Grayed Lilac swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of African Purple
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Ash Violet (HGSW 2415), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.9). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 34 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone, so it substitutes for African Purple without repainting risk. See the full Ash Violet swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of African Purple
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to African Purple is Bay Fog (DE5934) — very close at ΔE 3.28, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly darker (LRV 30 vs 33) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Bay Fog swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of African Purple
Diamond Vogel's nearest match is Lilac Blossom (1289), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.18). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 32 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone, so it substitutes for African Purple without repainting risk. See the full Lilac Blossom swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of African Purple
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to African Purple is Gypsy's Gown (1311) — very close at ΔE 3.44, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gypsy's Gown swatch →
Clare Equivalent of African Purple
Clare has no exact twin of African Purple. The nearest is Cosmic Vibes (PNT100-LT-32) at ΔE 4.79 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 34 vs 33). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Cosmic Vibes swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of African Purple
At Kompozit, the closest color to African Purple is Gypsy's Gown (1311) — very close at ΔE 3.44, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 33 vs 33) and carries a cool violet undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Gypsy's Gown swatch →