Imperial Purple
No. W40 · #51516A · LRV 9 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Naval4
- 2Imperial Purple9
- 3Smoky Blue15
- 4Wolf Gray21
What Color Is Imperial Purple, Really?
Imperial Purple reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. W40 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Imperial Purple
Imperial Purple earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Imperial Purple
At LRV 9, Imperial Purple is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Imperial 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 Farrow & Ball No. W40 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | Mardi GrasPPU16-19 · Behr | 1.2 | 9 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Dark Lilac2070-30 · Benjamin Moore | 4.0 | 10 | Color page → |
| Valspar | When Worlds Collide8003-48F · Valspar | 2.4 | 9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Magic SpellPPG1173-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.2 | 8 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Magic SpellPPG1173-7 · Glidden | 2.3 | 8 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Pleasing Purple344-6DB · Dutch Boy | 2.4 | 9 | Color page → |
Similar Farrow & Ball Colors
The nearest shades to Imperial Purple within Farrow & Ball'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 #51516A in HSL space. Pair Imperial Purple with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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