African Violet
African Violet is a genuinely dark Purple from Sherwin-Williams. Our real-world data shows it is a primary choice when homeowners need to anchor a room without demanding the spotlight. Below, you'll find 10 examples of this shade in actual homes along with suggested color relationships.
Hex
#665385
LRV
10.78
African Violet's Color Strip
African Violet is the sixth shade on this 7-color strip, sitting between Fully Purple and Passionate Purple. The strip spans from Blue Chip at the lightest end to Passionate Purple at the deepest. Strip 176 puts these related shades in sequence, making it simple to find the tone that suits your room.
African Violet in Real Rooms
African Violet has a low LRV of 10.78 — it absorbs light and reads as a genuinely dark, enveloping color. It's neutral in temperature and , making it adaptable across different lighting conditions and room orientations. Grouped in the Purple family, the photos below show it applied in a dining room, bathroom, home office, front door, bedroom, mudroom, kitchen, patio, house and living room.
1 Dining Room Photo
Using African Violet in the dining room allows you to go bold with your lighting fixtures. An oversized chandelier or a modern sculptural pendant will look even more dramatic against the rich, steady background of this particular shade.
African Violet paint in a minimalist dining room
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1 Bathroom Photo
Using African Violet on a bathroom vanity is a clever way to introduce color without painting the walls. It creates a sophisticated anchor for the room, especially when topped with a thick white quartz or a contrasting dark stone.
African Violet — traditional bathroom
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1 Home Office Photo
African Violet in an office encourages a "deep work" mindset. Its depth and maturity create an environment of gravitas, helping you take your own projects and ambitions more seriously through the sheer atmosphere of the room.
Sherwin-Williams African Violet in a unique home office
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1 Front Door Photo
A front door painted African Violet makes a confident first impression without shouting. The color's depth draws the eye and signals personality before guests even step inside. Pair with crisp white trim and warm brass hardware to complete the look.
rustic modern front door featuring African Violet by Sherwin-Williams
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1 Bedroom Photo
African Violet creates a bedroom that feels deliberately calm rather than accidentally plain. The color absorbs the first rays of morning light without bouncing them back harshly, which means waking up in this environment feels gentle and gradual. Keep the window treatments simple and let the walls do the heavy lifting.
A traditional bedroom painted in African Violet
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1 Mudroom Photo
The mudroom is often the first interior space guests see. African Violet makes that threshold feel considered and designed without demanding more attention than it deserves. It's a "hardworking" color that still maintains its dignity.
African Violet paint in a neutral mudroom
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1 Kitchen Photo
In a modern kitchen, African Violet provides the necessary "organic" touch to offset stainless steel appliances and glass backsplashes. It prevents the kitchen from feeling like a laboratory, injecting a much-needed sense of domestic warmth and culinary inspiration.
African Violet — scandinavian kitchen
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1 Patio Photo
On a deck or patio floor, African Violet provides a cool, sophisticated surface that feels modern and clean. It's a great way to update an old wooden deck, giving it a high-end "architectural" feel with just a simple change of tone.
mediterranean patio featuring African Violet by Sherwin-Williams
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1 House Photo
African Violet is particularly effective on modern-style homes with flat planes and large windows. The color emphasizes the geometry of the house, using shadows and light to create a dynamic, ever-changing facade throughout the day.
African Violet color — mediterranean house inspiration
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1 Living Room Photo
African Violet provides a subtle architectural "lift" to a living room, especially those with high ceilings or intricate crown molding. The way shadows settle into the corners with this particular shade adds a layer of history and gravity to the space, making even a new build feel like it has stories to tell.
A elegant living room painted in African Violet
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Expert Perspectives
In-depth articles and real-home features from across our network of home and design sites.
Coordinating Colors
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 11), opening up a space where African Violet encloses it.
Studio Taupe reflects far more light (LRV 34 vs 11), opening up a space where African Violet encloses it.
At LRV 59 vs 11, Tres Naturale is decisively the brighter choice.
Trim Color
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 11), opening up a space where African Violet encloses it.
Similar Colors
With LRVs of 11 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 11 vs 9), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 11 vs 8), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 12 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
African Violet reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 11 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Clematis reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 13 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Forget-Me-Not reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 12 vs 11), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Complementary Colors
Green Onyx reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 11), opening up a space where African Violet encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 11 vs 10), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Opaline reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 11), opening up a space where African Violet encloses it.
At LRV 65 vs 11, Pine Frost is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 11 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 64 vs 11, Filmy Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Lighter Colors
Clematis reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 11), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 29 vs 11, Kismet is decisively the brighter choice.
Darker Colors
African Violet reads slightly lighter (LRV 11 vs 5), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.