The color #e0b0ff, also known as Mauve, is a soft and pretty shade of purple. It’s light, calming, and often used in designs where you want a gentle, romantic, or dreamy feel. Whether you’re designing a website, decorating a room, or picking colors for a creative project, mauve can be a lovely choice.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about this color in a very simple way.
What Does #e0b0ff Look Like?
The color #e0b0ff is a pale violet or light purple shade. It’s not too bright or too dark, and it has a soft and pastel-like feel. Think of the color of cotton candy or lavender flowers under soft lighting — that’s the kind of softness we’re talking about.
If you saw this color on a website or in a painting, you’d probably describe it as gentle, light, or elegant. It’s the kind of color that doesn’t scream for attention but still leaves a strong, peaceful impression.
Basic Color Details
Here’s how the color breaks down in common color systems:
- Hex Code:
#e0b0ff - RGB Values: 224 (Red), 176 (Green), 255 (Blue)
- CMYK Values: 12% Cyan, 31% Magenta, 0% Yellow, 0% Black
- HSL Values: 276.5° Hue, 100% Saturation, 84.5% Lightness
In short: it’s made up of a high amount of red and blue, and a smaller amount of green, which gives it that soft purple look.
RGB & CMYK: What That Means
- RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue, the three basic light colors used on screens. This color has a lot of red and blue, and a bit of green, which is why it looks purple.
- CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black, used in printing. Here, the magenta is stronger than the cyan, and there’s no yellow or black. That keeps the color looking bright and clean.
Hue, Saturation, and Lightness
This color’s hue is about 276.5°, which puts it in the violet or purple part of the color wheel. It has a 100% saturation, which means it’s fully vivid, and an 84.5% lightness, which makes it appear very bright and soft.
So, in simple words: it’s a vivid purple that’s light and airy.
Closest Web-Safe Color
The closest web-safe color to #e0b0ff is #cc99ff. Web-safe colors were important in the early days of the internet when not all computers could show every color. Today, this matters less, but it’s still useful if you want to match your color to other standard ones.
Similar Colors and Variations
If you’re looking for colors similar to #e0b0ff, here are a few options:
- #ccb0ff
- #d3b0ff
- #d9b0ff
- #e7b0ff
- #edb0ff
These all have a similar base but may be slightly lighter or darker.
Shades, Tints, and Tones
Let’s understand these in a friendly way:
- Shades are created by adding black to the color. So, they look darker.
- Tints are made by adding white, making them look lighter.
- Tones are made by adding gray, giving the color a more muted or soft look.
Here are some examples:
Darker Shades of #e0b0ff:
- #a213ff
- #ba4eff
- #c162ff
Lighter Tints:
- #e8c4ff
- #f7ebff
- #fffeff
Soft Tones:
- #d9cee1
- #dcc2ed
- #deb9f6
These are perfect if you want to keep the same feeling but adjust the color slightly.
How the Color is Perceived
This color looks different to people with different types of color vision:
- Monochromacy or full color blindness sees it as a light gray.
- Protanopia (red-blindness) and Deuteranopia (green-blindness) can make it look more blue or dull.
- Tritanopia (blue-blindness) shifts it toward pink or light brown.
If you’re designing something for wide accessibility, keep this in mind and make sure text and elements using this color have good contrast.
How to Use #e0b0ff in Design
Here are a few ways people commonly use this beautiful mauve color:
- Web Design: For soft backgrounds or gentle accents.
- Fashion: In spring/summer collections for a light and airy look.
- Home Decor: On pillows, curtains, or wall paint to bring a calm vibe to a room.
- Graphics and Branding: For products aimed at a romantic, gentle, or feminine audience.
Because it’s soft and light, #e0b0ff pairs well with both neutral colors (like white or gray) and bold colors (like deep purple or teal) depending on what mood you want to create.
Color Combinations
Let’s look at some great combinations for #e0b0ff:
1. Complementary Color:
- #cfffb0 (a soft greenish-yellow)
- This pairing creates contrast while still feeling gentle.
2. Analogous Colors:
- #b9b0ff and #ffb0f7
- These colors are next to #e0b0ff on the color wheel and feel naturally harmonious.
3. Split Complementary:
- #b0ffb9 and #f7ffb0
- These create a more colorful contrast while staying balanced.
4. Triadic Colors:
- #b0cfff and #ffe0b0
- This gives a playful and complete color palette with variety.
How to Use #e0b0ff in Code
You can easily add this color to websites or apps using CSS:
cssCopyEdit/* Text color */
.text {
color: #e0b0ff;
}
/* Background color */
.background {
background-color: #e0b0ff;
}
/* Border color */
.border {
border: 1px solid #e0b0ff;
}
You can also use it in design tools like Photoshop, Figma, or Canva by pasting the hex code: #e0b0ff.
Final Thoughts
The color #e0b0ff (Mauve) is a beautiful, soft, and flexible shade that can bring a touch of calm and elegance to your designs. Whether you use it as a background, an accent, or a main color, it works beautifully with a range of tones and styles.
It’s easy on the eyes, looks great on screens, and plays nicely with other colors. So if you’re looking for a purple that’s not too bold but still full of charm, this one is definitely worth trying.
