What Color Is Periwinkle? The Lavender Blue

Sometimes, blue isn’t good enough. You need something unique to make a statement. Periwinkle is a great color for that, but it’s not easy to distinguish.

Periwinkle color
Via Summer Thornton Design, Inc

We’re here to confirm what periwinkle is and let you know about the different shades of periwinkle using a hex color scale.

The Periwinkle color with the hexadecimal color #CCCCFF has RGB values of R: 80, G: 80, B: 100 and CMYK values of C: 0.2, M: 0.2, Y: 0, K:0.

  • HEX: #ccccff
  • RGB DECIMAL: rgb(204,204,255)
  • CMYK: 20, 20, 0, 0
  • BINARY: 11001100, 11001100, 11111111

In a rush? Here are the best headlines about color periwinkle:

What Color Is Periwinkle?

What Color Is Periwinkle?
Image from Ziger|Snead Architects

Periwinkle is first and foremost a plant. The plant is called the lesser periwinkle or myrtle herb (Vinca minor) whose flowers are the color periwinkle. It is also sometimes called the “Flower of Death” due to its dark past. 

Despite its past, the color is a marriage of colors that works well with many interior designs. The color is also known as lavender blue. So, it is lavender with a hint of blue in it. 

Periwinkle Color Meaning

Periwinkle Color Meaning

Those interested in periwinkle also like to learn about the color’s etymology. The word comes from the Old English “peruince” or the late Latin word pervinca.

How Do You Mix Paint To Make Periwinkle?

Perwinkle couch 1024x682
Image from Levy Art + Architecture

Your best bet is to mix your own, like for small projects. It’s cheaper to use your paint set than to have a store match it.

Decide on the shade you want. Search online for inspiration from designers and fashion experts. See if you can get a perspective from a foreign culture for different color choices.

Your home is your sanctuary and should make you and your family feel content.

To create periwinkle, start with red and white paint to create a pink base. Add touches of light blue to create a purple. Feel free to add more blue or start violet. 

If you add too much blue, you’ll get cornflower or sapphire blue. If you add too much violet, you’ll change it to an eggplant color. Mix slowly, adding a little at a time to get the right mix.

To help get the color right, feel free to search for its CMYK color model. CMYK refers to the four ink plates used in color printing which include: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black).

Shades Of Periwinkle 

One effective way to find colors is with the hex color code. Periwinkle has many hex color codes.

Here are the most common hex colors associated with periwinkle.

True Periwinkle – #8e82fe

True Periwinkle - #8e82fe

This is the most commonly identified periwinkle color. It is a darker shade used for other reasons. It’s the most popular shade that isn’t associated with purple. The color’s CMYK is 15, 11, 0, 10.

Lavender Blue – #ccccff

Lavender Blue - #ccccff

This color code is often called periwinkle too. It’s lighter than the traditional shade but considered a lesser periwinkle.  

Deep Periwinkle – #7c83bc

Deep Periwinkle - #7c83bc

Deep periwinkle is not just a dark periwinkle shade. This one is deep, meaning it has a gamut output. Deep hues don’t change a room like rich colors.

Dark Perwinkle – #665fd1

Dark Perwinkle - #665fd1

Dark periwinkle is different than deep periwinkle because it is bright and of a dark hue. It can brighten up a room without overpowering it. The darker version has more violet than the others, making it almost indigo

Light Periwinkle – #c1c6fc

Light Periwinkle - #c1c6fc

Light periwinkle is a lighter shade than most. It is the lightest of all the very peri color schemes with equal parts blue and purple. Other lighter hues favor one color or the other while this one is a balanced light periwinkle. 

Very Peri Blue – #8f99fb

Very Peri Blue - #8f99fb

Very peri blue favors the blue side of periwinkle. It’s true periwinkle, but with more blue. If you love periwinkle but want something darker, this is your best bet.

Very Peri Gray – #c3cde6

Very Peri Gray - #c3cde6

Periwinkle gray is a silvery blue-purple that goes well with color schemes and other shades. If you want something more neutral, look no further. 

Very Peri Tint – #d3ddd6

Very Peri Tint - #d3ddd6

This periwinkle has a green, minty tint. It’s more of a green with a periwinkle tint, but the color combination is similar to other periwinkles. 

Pale Lavender – #dcd0ff

Pale Lavender - #dcd0ff

Pale lavender is a periwinkle type color with less blue. It has the tiniest bits of extra blue thrown in. If you want the lightest purple periwinkle, this is a winner.

Dull Periwinkle -#8fa4d2

Dull Periwinkle -#8fa4d2

Dull isn’t a bad thing. Because dull periwinkle is a great shade that goes perfectly with other shades. It’s like gray and is part of the periwinkle color code.

Perwinkle Powder -#c5cbe1

Perwinkle Powder -#c5cbe1

Periwinkle powder is a softer color that pairs well with other soft colors. It can make a room cottagecore or can be the color for a nursery. This periwinkle paint color is worth appreciating.

Lavender Shadow – #8b88f8

Lavender Shadow - #8b88f8

This shade is a deeper color that is nearly the opposite of powder blue periwinkle. It sits on the other end of the spectrum and goes well in living rooms, bedrooms, and older kids’ rooms.

What Is The Difference Between Periwinkle And Lavender?

The biggest difference between periwinkle and lavender is that this one has much less blue than periwinkle. You could describe lit as purple but you can describe periwinkle as both purple and blue.

Periwinkle is bluish purple while the other is a pale purple. For a pure design vision of both colors, visit your local nursery and see the flowers they represent.

Colors That Go With Periwinkle Color

Perwinkle couch 1024x682
Image from Summer Thornton Design, Inc

If you’re choosing a neutral color, then your best bet is white or gray. Blacks and browns can work with periwinkle, but they aren’t as safe given how shades can clash.

Navy

Navy is a good color to pair with any periwinkle. It can bring out the bluish hues without overpowering the purple. It takes a soft color and lets it shine while keeping it royal and sophisticated. 

Mint Green

Mint green is a perfect shade that will leave things cool and fresh. This is wonderful for a tint that has hints of greenish hues but can work with darker, violet periwinkle as they contrast well. 

Salmon

Salmon is a popular color that can be hard to work with. You don’t want to bring down the value of a space with the wrong color. Salmon is what periwinkle needs to look its best. 

Sage Green

Sage green is another color to consider. It goes with most hues due to the natural tones like a forest. Pairing it with periwinkle looks natural with any design.

Yellow

Any yellow shade can make a wallpaper periwinkle color look better. Imagine a checkered blanket or a basket of fruit. Yellow and bluish shades are close friends in interior design spaces and this is no exception. 

Silver

Silver isn’t a neutral color but it looks good with cool colors. Periwinkle is cool unless too much red is added. Otherwise, it’s a fashion accent for cool silver

Does Black Go With Periwinkle?

Does Black Go With Periwinkle?
Image from In Detail Interiors

We omitted black from the list because black goes with everything. Black and periwinkle is a color pair that won’t clash. Any periwinkle shade works with black in any space. You even go with a dark periwinkle color or violet and see how changes your space.

However, it has a modern feel rather than a traditional or country flair. If you want a room to look more traditional or country-esque then pair it will yellows, greens, or even navy instead. 

Periwinkle Paint Sheens 

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This is something that most design people struggle with. There are a few different colors that will affect the result of your room. Matte will look different than a high gloss. But how will you learn which one works best for periwinkle? 

Flat Sheen

Flat sheen is the most non-reflective finish that hides imperfections. It will look lighter and duller with peri colors. It’s the least durable brand, so it’s best for low-traffic rooms.

Matte Sheen

Matte sheen has a low reflective finish that also hides imperfections and is easy to clean. However, it’s not as durable as other sheens. Matte is a step above flat sheen and will also look lighter. 

Eggshell Sheen

Eggshell enamel was inspired by the texture of an eggshell. It’s a step above matte and will have a low-to-medium shine and tone. It’s not a glossy finish so it won’t reflect light like other sheens. 

Satin Sheen

Satin sheen is a fan favorite as it has a pearl-like appearance. It is the lowest reflective choice for high-moisture and grease areas like kitchens and bathrooms. It will ensure that your color stays true. 

Semi-Gloss Sheen

Semi-Gloss is another popular sheen. It’s the first reflective sheen. You will need to apply it slowly and in multiple coats, however. It’s not as easy to hide imperfections with a glossy color and the colors may appear darker. 

Hi-Gloss Sheen

Hi-Gloss sheen is the shiniest and the most reflective type of sheen you can get. Use it wisely as it will be intense, reflect a lot of light, thus appearing darker and deeper in the end. 

What Are Rare Colors You’ve Probably Never Heard Of?

Periwinkle is a rare color that not many learn about. There are other colors that may interest you more than periwinkle. Take a look at these colors with super fun names:

  • Celadon – isn’t as rare as others but once upon a time, it was the kind of color reserved for items owned only by the royal family. Special craftsmen created the color with a ceramic glaze.
  • Lapis Lazuli – a mineral that was more valuable than gold. The color of the mineral is rare. that the only time that it appears in nature is when it is found in Lapus Lazuli, the gorgeous gem.
  • Oxblood – is a rich red that is just as brown as it is red. It is similar to burgundy red. For an even rarer color, look into dragon blood, which is derived from the resin of certain trees.
  • Tyrian Purple – this color is rare yet has been used with color fabrics for the rich since before 1000 BC. Tyrian purple is a pigment made from the mucus of Murex snails.
  • Cochineal – you’ve seen this pigment before because it’s used in cosmetics. But the original cochineal can only be found in bugs.
  • Vantablack – is the darkest man-made pigment in the world of colors. It absorbs almost 100 percent of visible light, giving it 0-LRV. The color was created in a lab.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

Why Is The Color Periwinkle Called Lavender Blue?

Periwinkle is known as this because it’s considered a pale tint of purple or a “pastel purple.”

Why Is Periwinkle Called The Flower of Death?

According to European folklore, the vines were woven into headbands worn by ghost children or people who were on their way to the gallows.

What Does The Color Periwinkle Represent?

Periwinkle represents serenity, calmness, winter, and ice.

What Can Periwinkle Blue Hues Go With?

Yellow is the best color to pair with deep periwinkle colors and blue hues.

What Is The Pantone Color Of The Year For 2022?

Pantone announced that Periwinkle is the color of 2022. The company launched its Color of The Year award in 1962. Pantone is a respected cosmetics company worldwide.

Periwinkle Color Conclusion

Periwinkle is growing in popularity and could become more common throughout the decade. After the color was selected as Pantone’s Color of The Year for 2022, the world is warming up to the color associated with the Flower of Death. You can log on and visit the Pantone website to learn more.

Peri is versatile and friendly. The color is a good sign and just as comforting as white. The next you search for a different color to cover a space with, very peri could be your best choice.