Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Imperial Purple |
| SKU | No. W40 |
| Hex | #51516A |
| RGB | 81, 81, 106 |
| HSL | 240°, 13%, 37% |
| LRV | 9 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
About Farrow & Ball 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.
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.
Closest matches by brand
9 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 blue from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Similar Farrow & Ball colors
closest in the Farrow & Ball deckThe 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.
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.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Farrow & Ball Imperial Purple Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Imperial 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 Farrow & Ball No. W40 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Behr Equivalent of Imperial Purple
Behr's nearest match is Mardi Gras (PPU16-19), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.19). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Imperial Purple without repainting risk. See the full Mardi Gras swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Imperial Purple
Benjamin Moore has no exact twin of Imperial Purple. The nearest is Dark Lilac (2070-30) at ΔE 3.98 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 10 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Dark Lilac swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Imperial Purple
At Valspar, the closest color to Imperial Purple is When Worlds Collide (8003-48F) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full When Worlds Collide swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Imperial Purple
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Imperial Purple is Magic Spell (PPG1173-7) — very close at ΔE 2.23, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Magic Spell swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Imperial Purple
At Glidden, the closest color to Imperial Purple is Magic Spell (PPG1173-7) — very close at ΔE 2.3, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Magic Spell swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Imperial Purple
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Imperial Purple is Pleasing Purple (344-6DB) — very close at ΔE 2.35, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pleasing Purple swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Imperial Purple
Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Intergalactic (DE5916), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.79). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 8 vs 9) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Imperial Purple without repainting risk. See the full Intergalactic swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Imperial Purple
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Imperial Purple. The nearest is Quiet Peace (0592) at ΔE 4.7 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 9 vs 9). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Quiet Peace swatch →