Wood Violet
SW 6557 · #7A6B85 · LRV 16 — cool violet tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Nocturne Shade5
- 2Ripe Berry10
- 3Wood Violet16
- 4Gothic Purple24
- 5Hazy Lilac29
What Color Is Wood Violet, Really?
Wood Violet reads as a cool violet tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 6557 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Wood Violet
Wood Violet 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 Wood Violet
With an LRV of 16, Wood Violet 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 Wood 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.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Sherwin-Williams SW 6557 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 | Composers MagicMQ5-37 · Behr | 3.2 | 17 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Cupid's Dart1385 · Benjamin Moore | 3.2 | 17 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Classical Violet4001-4B · Valspar | 5.0 | 17.3 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Purple RainPPG1174-6 · PPG / Glidden | 2.4 | 16 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Purple RainPPG1174-6 · Glidden | 2.5 | 16 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Violaceous344-5DB · Dutch Boy | 4.1 | 16 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Wood Violet 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 #7A6B85 in HSL space. Pair Wood Violet with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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