Purple Surf
PPG1173-5 · #9C96A9 · LRV 32 — cool blue tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
- 1Blue Nova17
- 2Gothic Purple24
- 3Purple Surf32
- 4French Lilac56
- 5Potentially Purple62
What Color Is Purple Surf, Really?
Purple Surf reads as a cool blue tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1173-5 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Purple Surf
Purple Surf 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.
How Lighting Changes Purple Surf
Purple Surf sits in the mid-range at LRV 32, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. 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. South-facing rooms will pull it lighter and warmer, while north light cools it down.
Most complaints about Purple Surf 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 PPG1173-5 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 | Ash VioletSW 6549 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.3 | 34 | Color page → |
| Behr | Night MusicS570-4 · Behr | 2.3 | 32 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Palace Walls8004-48D · Valspar | 3.9 | 34 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Purple SurfPPG1173-5 · Glidden | 0.5 | 31 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Provence343-4DB · Dutch Boy | 3.2 | 30 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Ash VioletHGSW 2415 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 2.3 | 34 | Color page → |
Similar PPG / Glidden Colors
The nearest shades to Purple Surf 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 #9C96A9 in HSL space. Pair Purple Surf with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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