Mauve

HEX: #E0B0FF | Modern Palette

On White
1.78:1
FAIL
On Black
11.82:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#E0B0FF
RGB
224, 176, 255
HSL
276°, 100% ,84%
CMYK
12, 31, 0, 0

About Mauve

Mauve (#E0B0FF) is a color with RGB(224, 176, 255) and HSL(276.5°, 100%, 84.5%). It is commonly associated with Playful moods. In design, it fits Neon styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Background. Its complementary color is #CFFFB0, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #FFE0B0 and #B0FFE0. The name comes from mauve (French).

  • HEX: #E0B0FF
  • RGB: 224, 176, 255
  • HSL: 276.5°, 100%, 84.5%
  • Mood: Playful
  • Style: Neon
  • Use case: Text, Button, Background
  • Complementary color: #CFFFB0
  • Triadic colors: #FFE0B0, #B0FFE0
  • The name comes from mauve (French).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Mauve #E0B0FF is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
 
 
 
MAUVE
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
MAUVE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Mauve #E0B0FF pairs with #CFFFB0 as its complementary color, and #FFE0B0 and #B0FFE0 in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

MAUVE
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

MAUVE
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

MAUVE
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

MAUVE
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

MAUVE
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

MAUVE

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Mauve #E0B0FF moves from dark #0F001A tones through the base color to lighter #F5E6FF tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

MAUVE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Playful
Style
Neon
Use case
Text Button Background

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #C0C0FE
Protanopia #B6B6FF
Tritanopia #D6BCBC
Achromatopsia #C2C2C2

Frequently Asked Questions

Mauve (#E0B0FF) is a color with RGB(224, 176, 255) and HSL(276.5°, 100%, 84.5%).

#E0B0FF pairs strongly with #CFFFB0 as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#E0B0FF is suitable for Text, Button, Background and works well with Neon styles.

#E0B0FF is commonly associated with Playful.

The name Mauve is linked to mauve from French, meaning mallow (referring to the mallow flower's color).

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word mauve
Meaning mallow (referring to the mallow flower's color)
Language French
First Recorded Use Mid-19th Century

History

The color 'mauve' gained immense popularity after William Henry Perkin, a British chemist, accidentally discovered the first synthetic organic dye in 1856 while attempting to synthesize quinine. He named the dye 'mauveine' (or aniline purple). The color quickly became fashionable, especially in Victorian England, and was worn by Queen Victoria herself. Its popularity led to a boom in the chemical dye industry. The term 'mauve' itself comes from the French word for the mallow flower, which has a similar pale purple hue.

First Recorded Use

1859 (as a color name in English)

Cultural Associations

Mauve is strongly associated with the Victorian era and its fashion. It symbolized innovation and modernity due to its synthetic origin. It can evoke feelings of nostalgia, elegance, and a certain subdued femininity. In modern contexts, it's often seen as a soft, sophisticated, or even slightly melancholic shade of purple.

Similar Named Colors
Rich Brilliant Lavender #F1A7FE ΔE 4.41
Bright Ube #D19FE8 ΔE 4.72
Brilliant Lavender #F4BBFF ΔE 4.77
Wisteria #C9A0DC ΔE 6.35

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #E0B0FF;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #E0B0FF;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #E0B0FF;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #E0B0FF,
        #CFFFB0
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #E0B0FF,
        #CFFFB0
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$mauve: #E0B0FF;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$mauve-r: 224;
$mauve-g: 176;
$mauve-b: 255;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $mauve;
    color: rgba($mauve-r, $mauve-g, $mauve-b, 0.8);
}