Purple Rain
PPG1174-6 · #746B87 · LRV 16 — cool blue tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Nocturne Shade5
- 2Ripe Berry10
- 3Purple Rain16
- 4Gothic Purple24
- 5Hazy Lilac29
What Color Is Purple Rain, Really?
Purple Rain reads as a cool blue tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1174-6 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Purple Rain
Purple Rain 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.
How Lighting Changes Purple Rain
With an LRV of 16, Purple Rain 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.
Most complaints about Purple Rain 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 PPG / Glidden PPG1174-6 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Wood VioletSW 6557 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.4 | 16 | Color page → |
| Behr | Wine Frost690F-6 · Behr | 2.1 | 16 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Purple RainPPG1174-6 · Glidden | 0.4 | 16 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Violaceous344-5DB · Dutch Boy | 2.9 | 16 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Tara's VioletHGSW 2423 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 2.4 | 16 | Color page → |
| Dunn-Edwards | Purple GumballDE5950 · Dunn-Edwards | 3.9 | 13 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Purple Rain within PPG / Glidden'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 #746B87 in HSL space. Pair Purple Rain with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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