Novel Lilac vs Pure White
Novel Lilac and Pure White come from the same Sherwin-Williams collection. Hue-wise, Novel Lilac belongs to the pink-purple family and Pure White to the beige-greige family. The 42-point LRV gap — 84 for Pure White vs 42 for Novel Lilac — means Pure White will open up a space more effectively. Where Novel Lilac leans cool, Pure White reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 31.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Novel Lilac vs Pure White in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Novel Lilac and Pure White in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Pure White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Novel Lilac.
Color Details
Novel Lilac vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Novel Lilac on one side and Pure White on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Novel Lilac comparisons
See how Novel Lilac stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 42, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 42), opening up a space where Novel Lilac encloses it.
At LRV 42 vs 6, Novel Lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Novel Lilac reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (52 vs 42) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 42), opening up a space where Novel Lilac encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 42, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 27, Novel Lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 42, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Novel Lilac reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 42, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 13, Novel Lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 42), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Novel Lilac reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 42, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 42, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 42, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Novel Lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 42, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 42 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 42), opening up a space where Novel Lilac encloses it.
Novel Lilac reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Novel Lilac is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (45 vs 42) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Novel Lilac reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Novel Lilac reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Novel Lilac reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 42), opening up a space where Novel Lilac encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 42), opening up a space where Novel Lilac encloses it.