Color guide · Sherwin-Williams · Purple

Novel Lilac

SW 6836 · #C2A4C2 · LRV 42 · warm magenta tone

SW 6836 · #C2A4C2 · LRV 42 — warm magenta tone, mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.

Novel LilacSherwin-Williams · SW 6836
The color, edge to edge.Use your own photo →
Novel Lilac
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS · SW 6836 · #C2A4C2
Brand · codeSherwin-WilliamsSW 6836 · all Sherwin-Williams purples
LRV42Mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light.
Undertonewarm magenta tone
FamilyPurple
Hex · RGB · HSL#C2A4C2 · 194, 164, 194 · 300°, 20%, 70%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. 1Blue Nova17
  2. 2Gothic Purple24
  3. 3Novel Lilac42
  4. 4French Lilac56
  5. 5Lavender Mist63
Undertone and depth

What Color Is Novel Lilac, Really?

Novel Lilac reads as a warm magenta tone — mid-tone — versatile but shifts visibly with light. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6836 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.

Room by room

Best Rooms and Uses for Novel Lilac

Novel Lilac 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.

Light by light

How Lighting Changes Novel Lilac

Novel Lilac sits in the mid-range at LRV 42, so it shifts visibly through the day — lighter and more open in morning light, deeper and moodier after dark. Its magenta 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.

Test it in your light, not a showroom's

Most complaints about Novel Lilac 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.

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Same color, different store

Need It From Another Brand?

Any paint counter can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 6836 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 Sherwin-Williams Colors

The nearest shades to Novel Lilac within Sherwin-Williams'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 Novel Lilac · 9.4 : 1 · passes AA and AAAWhite text on Novel Lilac · 2.2 : 1 · fails for text

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 #C2A4C2 in HSL space. Pair Novel Lilac with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#C2A4C2 + #A4C2A4
TRIADIC
#C2A4C2 · #C2C2A4 · #A4C2C2
ANALOGOUS
#B3A4C2 · #C2A4C2 · #C2A4B3

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Jessica Williams

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