Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Purple

Plum Power

DE5985 · #7E5E8D · LRV 14 · cool violet tone

DE5985 · #7E5E8D · LRV 14 — cool violet tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.

Plum PowerDunn-Edwards · DE5985
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Plum Power
DUNN-EDWARDS · DE5985 · #7E5E8D
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDE5985 · all Dunn-Edwards purples
LRV14Dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
Undertonecool violet tone
FamilyPurple
Hex · RGB · HSL#7E5E8D · 126, 94, 141 · 281°, 20%, 46%Display values from the brand. Match it at another brand
Sheen we recommendEggshell on walls · satin on trim and cabinetsWhich sheen where, explained
Where it sits, light to dark
  1. 1Nocturne Shade5
  2. 2Plum Power14
  3. 3Gothic Purple24
  4. 4Hazy Lilac29
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Plum Power, Really?

Plum Power reads as a cool violet tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE5985 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Plum Power

Plum Power works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Purples range from restful (bedrooms) to dramatic (powder rooms) depending on depth.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Plum Power

With an LRV of 14, Plum Power is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. 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. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Plum Power 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DE5985 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.

Same deck, next chip over

Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors

The nearest shades to Plum Power within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

Contrast, for text and signage
Black text on Plum Power · 3.9 : 1 · large text onlyWhite text on Plum Power · 5.4 : 1 · passes AA

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 #7E5E8D in HSL space. Pair Plum Power with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#7E5E8D + #6D8D5E
TRIADIC
#7E5E8D · #8D7E5E · #5E8D7E
ANALOGOUS
#675E8D · #7E5E8D · #8D5E85

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Jessica Williams

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