Color guide · PPG / Glidden · Purple

Roman Violet

PPG1170-7 · #4E5180 · LRV 9 · cool blue tone

PPG1170-7 · #4E5180 · LRV 9 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.

Roman VioletPPG / Glidden · PPG1170-7
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Roman Violet
PPG / GLIDDEN · PPG1170-7 · #4E5180
Brand · codePPG / GliddenPPG1170-7 · all PPG / Glidden purples
LRV9Very dark — reads black in most rooms.
Undertonecool blue tone
FamilyPurple
Hex · RGB · HSL#4E5180 · 78, 81, 128 · 236°, 24%, 40%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. 1Liberty Blue1
  2. 2Roman Violet9
  3. 3Blue Nova17
  4. 4Gothic Purple24
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Roman Violet, Really?

Roman Violet reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how PPG / Glidden PPG1170-7 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Roman Violet

Roman Violet earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Purples range from restful (bedrooms) to dramatic (powder rooms) depending on depth.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Roman Violet

At LRV 9, Roman Violet 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Roman 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 PPG / Glidden PPG1170-7 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 PPG / Glidden Colors

The nearest shades to Roman Violet within PPG / Glidden'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 Roman Violet · 2.8 : 1 · fails for textWhite text on Roman Violet · 7.5 : 1 · passes AA and AAA

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 #4E5180 in HSL space. Pair Roman Violet with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#4E5180 + #807D4E
TRIADIC
#4E5180 · #804E51 · #51804E
ANALOGOUS
#4E6A80 · #4E5180 · #644E80

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Jessica Williams

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