Passionate Purple
SW 6981 · #795484 · LRV 12 — cool violet tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Nocturne Shade5
- 2Passionate Purple12
- 3Blue Nova17
- 4Gothic Purple24
What Color Is Passionate Purple, Really?
Passionate Purple reads as a cool violet tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6981 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Passionate Purple
Passionate Purple 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 Passionate Purple
With an LRV of 12, Passionate Purple 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 Passionate Purple 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 6981 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | BirthstoneMQ4-62 · Behr | 1.8 | 12 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Fire and Ice1392 · Benjamin Moore | 3.0 | 15 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Sonic Plum4002-10C · Valspar | 2.9 | 11.4 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Cleopatra's GownPPG1249-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.0 | 12 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Amethyst Jewel50RB 14/232 · Glidden | 3.5 | 14 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Purple Tulips145-7DB · Dutch Boy | 0.0 | 12 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Passionate Purple within Sherwin-Williams'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 #795484 in HSL space. Pair Passionate Purple with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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