The power of purple
From light tones to bold shades, colour offers endless possibilities
We show you how to create a soothing space or add dramatic flair to your home by painting with this versatile colour,
I just bought my first condo. It faces the lake and is full of natural light. I love purple. What shade should I paint with?
Purple is unquestionably gaining momentum. It’s a regal colour. It is the perfect balance of soothing, calm blue and energetic, uplifting red. This combination of warm and cool colours makes it somewhat of a neutral. It’s a great one to add in the south section of your home, living room or office. From plum to periwinkle, purple has so much versatility.
Using a dark purple shade in the entire living room may be too intense for some, but it would help create an excellent focal wall. When working on a focal wall, you have to balance its colour with the rest of the space to prevent the room from looking heavy on one side. This can be done by repeating the colour across the room. For example, you could accessorize with purple throws, pillows, art and drapery. Think about painting or applying wallpaper on the inside of a bookcase with a similar tone. For a clean, modern look, pair purple with white. Green and yellow also play nicely with it. All of the metals work well with purple, but gold brings it to a whole other level.
Lighter shades of purple bring to mind the fresh blooms of spring lilacs, pansies and hydrangea, which create a sensual and relaxing atmosphere. These soothing tones of purple are said to enhance meditation. Leonardo da Vinci believed that meditating in a lavender or purple-coloured light improves the experience by a factor of 10. To prevent these lighter shades from becoming too feminine or sweet, try selecting muted tones that have a slight grey or brown undertone.
Rooms with southern exposure have warm, long-lasting light and can become intense at midday. To balance this warmth, use neutral to cooler tones.
Consider these shades for your painting project. Lighter tones Sophisticated Twirling Girl from Sherwin-Williams HGTV is on the warmer end of the purples. It’s very soft and romantic.
For a tranquil and restful colour, try Sherwin-Williams Candied Lavender.
Pratt & Lambert’s Alexandrite looks like a darker shade of pink