Color guide · Dunn-Edwards · Purple

Simply Violet

DE5941 · #A6A1D7 · LRV 37 · cool blue tone

DE5941 · #A6A1D7 · LRV 37 — cool blue tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.

Simply VioletDunn-Edwards · DE5941
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Simply Violet
DUNN-EDWARDS · DE5941 · #A6A1D7
Brand · codeDunn-EdwardsDE5941 · all Dunn-Edwards purples
LRV37Mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyPurple
Hex · RGB · HSL#A6A1D7 · 166, 161, 215 · 246°, 40%, 74%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. 1Blue Nova17
  2. 2Gothic Purple24
  3. 3Simply Violet37
  4. 4French Lilac56
  5. 5Lavender Mist63
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Simply Violet, Really?

Simply Violet reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DE5941 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Simply Violet

Simply Violet 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Simply Violet

Simply Violet sits in the mid-range at LRV 37, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its blue 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Simply 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.

Upload a photoPainted in about a minuteFree, no account
Visualize in your room
Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DE5941 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 Simply Violet 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 Simply Violet · 8.7 : 1 · passes AA and AAAWhite text on Simply Violet · 2.4 : 1 · fails for text

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 #A6A1D7 in HSL space. Pair Simply Violet with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#A6A1D7 + #D2D7A1
TRIADIC
#A6A1D7 · #D7A6A1 · #A1D7A6
ANALOGOUS
#A1B7D7 · #A6A1D7 · #C1A1D7

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Jessica Williams

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