Periwinkle Color Guide: Everything You Need To Know!

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Periwinkle is a mesmerizing color that truly captures the essence of serenity, elegance, and beauty! It is a delicate color that is a blend between blue and purple but unlike Indigo which is a deep bold color, the periwinkle color is a lot softer and it has much more of a whimsical feel to it.

In this article, I am going to explore everything there is to know about Periwinkle! I’ll also include hex color codes and color swatches so that you can see just how beautiful this color is!

What Color Is Periwinkle?

Periwinkle is a light purplish-blue color that is often described as a soft, pale, shade with a hint of lilac or lavender.

It gets its name from the petals of the periwinkle flower (Vinca Minor) which is a beautiful easy-to-grow plant that is often used as a ground cover.

Periwinkle flower - Example of the flowers color
Periwinkle (Vinca Minor)

What Does Periwinkle Look Like?

Periwinkle can vary in color with its lighter shades looking like soft blues with subtle purple undertones while its darker shades lean towards more of a muted lavender color with a touch of blue.

The interesting thing about periwinkle is that it can look different when you look at it under different lighting. In daylight, it tends to look bluer while it looks a little more purple when you look at it under artificial lighting.

If you spend any time delving into the periwinkle color you will see that there are two colors that people refer to when they talk about periwinkle. The first is now commonly known as “True Periwinkle“.

This is what True Periwinkle looks like:

True Periwinkle
Hex Code: #8E82FE
RGB Value: RGB(142,130,254)

The second color which many people refer to as periwinkle is a lighter shade that is far less deep than True Periwinkle. It is known as “Periwinkle” or “Lavender Blue” with many using the two names interchangeably to describe the same color.

This is what Periwinkle or Lavender Blue looks like:

Periwinkle / Lavender Blue
Hex Code: #CCCCFF
RGB Value: RGB(204,204,255)

What Colors Create Periwinkle?

Periwinkle is made by combining blue and purple light or in the case of traditional art, blue and purple pigments. Of course, the color you achieve will depend on the amount and intensity of each color that you use.

In traditional art, artists will start with either a blue base color and then they will add small amounts of purple and white to achieve the color that they want.

Here is a quick video showing you how to blend blue, purple, and white together to make periwinkle or lavender blue:

Is Periwinkle A Warm Or A Cool Color?

Periwinkle is considered to be a cool color.

Because it is made by combining blue and purple, both of which are cool colors it retains the cool, calming qualities that its base colors have.

Where Is Periwinkle Found On The Color Wheel?

Periwinkle is found within the blue spectrum on the color wheel leaning more towards the purple side of the spectrum.

Periwinkle On The Color Wheel
Periwinkle On The Color Wheel

Periwinkle Hex Code

The most common way to specify colors in digital design is by using hex color codes which use the following format: #RRGGBB.

The Periwinkle hex color code is #8E82FE.

Periwinkle RGB Color Code

Just like hex codes, RGB codes also specify the exact amount of red, green, and blue needed to create a color.

Periwinkle RGB color code: RGB(142,130,254).

If you would like to learn more about how RGB color codes work, then don’t forget to check out our article where we look at the differences between RGB and CMYK color codes.

Is Periwinkle Blue Or Purple?

Whether periwinkle is blue or purple is an interesting debate and the answer will change depending on who you speak to!

Of course, the color also looks different when you look at it under different light conditions so while one person might say it is blue another might say it is purple.

To compare, this is what blue and purple look like alongside periwinkle:

Blue
#0000FF
RGB(0,0,255)

Periwinkle
#8E82FE
RGB(142,130,254)

Purple
#800080
RGB (128,0,128)

What do you think, is periwinkle blue or purple?

Periwinkle vs Lavender vs Lilac

Periwinkle, lavender, and lilac all share similar qualities but at the same time also have very distinct characteristics and unique qualities that set them apart from each other.

As we’ve seen, although periwinkle leans more towards a shade of blue it does have hints of purple. Lavender on the other hand has a much more distinct purple look and feel to it with lilac leaning more towards a purple-pink color.

Here are a few color swatches to help you see the differences in color. I’ve included color comparisons for both the true periwinkle color as well as the softer periwinkle shade.

Lavender Purple
#967BB6 
RGB (150,123,182)

Periwinkle
#8E82FE
RGB(142,130,254)

Lilac
#C8A2C8
RGB(200,162,200)

Lavender
#E6E6FA
RGB (230,230,250)

Periwinkle / Lavender Blue
#CCCCFF
RGB(142,130,254)

Pale Lilac
#E4CBFF
RGB(228,203,255)

Periwinkle Color Shades, Tints & Tones

By adding white, black, and gray to periwinkle you can create lots of different shades, tints, and tones that will give you a wide range of periwinkle colors to work with.

Shades Of Periwinkle

To create different shades of periwinkle, you would add black to the base color. This will result in colors that get progressively deeper and darker.

#8E82FE#8075E6#7268CC#645BB3#564E99
#474180

Shades Of Periwinkle

Periwinkle Color Tints

To create tints, simply add white to the base color resulting in colors that are lighter, brighter, and softer.

#8E82FE#A59BFF#BCB4FF#D2CDFF#DDDAFF
#E9E6FF

Periwinkle Tints

Periwinkle Tones

To create tones, simply add gray to the base color. This will create colors that are more subdued and muted.

Periwinkle Tones

#8E82FE#8F85E7#8A83CE#827DB4#79759B
#6B6980

Periwinkle Color Tones

There are quite a few different periwinkle colors that you can choose from if you would like to use it in your designs. These colors range from darker shades all the way through to airy, lighter shades. Here are some of the most popular periwinkle colors:

Periwinkle
#8E82FE

Dark Periwinkle
#665FD1

Light Periwinkle
#C1C6FC

Deep Perwinkle
#7C83BC

Periwinkle Gray
#C3CDE6

Dull Periwinkle
#8FA4D2

Periwinkle (Crayola)
#C3CDE6

Periwinkle Purple
#BE93E4

Periwinkle Tint
#D3DDD6

Colors Similar To Periwinkle

There are many colors that are quite similar to periwinkle ranging from lavender shades to lilac colors. Here are a few to get you started:

Lavender Blue / Periwinkle
#CCCCFF

Lavender Blue Shadow
#8B88F8

Pale Lavender
#DCD0FF

Very Peri Blue
#8F99FB

Very Peri Gray
#c3cde6

Very Peri Tint
#d3ddd6

Light Steel Blue
#B0C4DE

Soap
#CEC8EF

PIN FOR LATER…

Periwinkle Color Pinterest Pin

What Colors Go Well With Periwinkle?

Periwinkle is actually a pretty versatile color and it blends well with many different colors. For starters, it looks amazing with whites and grays creating more neutral color palettes.

It also works well with black and navy blue if you are looking for a strong contrast in color and you will find that these color combinations work quite well in corporate environments.

Other colors that periwinkle works well with include different shades of yellow, blue, pink, purple, and green. Of course, you will need to play with the color combinations you choose varying the intensity and brightness so that you can create the perfect color palette.

And if you are looking for color palettes, don’t forget to check out our color palette library!

Periwinkle Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are always a great choice if you are wanting to create an eye-catching contrast of colors.

For the examples below, I have included True Periwinkle as well as the complementary color for the lighter periwinkle sometimes called Lavender Blue.

#8E82FE

#FEC682

#CCCCFF

#ffE6CC

From this example, you can see that the lighter the base color the lighter the complementary color becomes. If you like the complementary color then you could always try using the darker base color with the lighter complementary color for an interesting mix of colors. Or, why not use all four colors?

Monochromatic Periwinkle Color Combinations

Monochromatic color palettes are those where you use shades and tints of the base color to create your palette. These colors can be lighter or darker depending on the mood that you are going for.

#8E82FE

#5848E5

#2917CB

Analogous Periwinkle Color Combinations

If you are wanting to create a harmonious color palette that still has colors that contrast against each other then an analogous palette might be what you are looking for.

In this color palette, the colors used are found next to each other on the color wheel. In this case, the palette includes a beautiful soft purple and teal blue color.

Once again I’ve included the softer periwinkles color palette for comparison.

#8E82FE

#CD82FE

#82E5FE

#CCCCFF

#E6CCFF

#CCFFFF

I don’t know about you, but I really love this color combination!

Triadic Periwinkle Color Combinations

A triadic color palette includes three colors that are spaced out even around the color wheel. Using these colors creates a pretty bright contrast of color!

And if you like pastel color palettes, don’t forget to check out our pastel pink and pastel blue color palette collections where you will find examples of color palettes that have colors similar to periwinkle.

And for even more ideas, our blue and purple color palettes also include many beautiful blue and purple color combinations!

#8E82FE

#F2FE82

#FE8982

#CCCCFF

#FFFFCC

#FFCCCC

Tetradic Periwinkle Color Combinations

Our final color combination is known as a tetradic color palette. It includes four colors which are spaced out evenly around the color wheel. You will notice that these four colors are made up of two sets of complementary colors which create two sets of strongly contrasting colors that really pop!

#8E82FE

#FEC682

#F2FE82

#FE82F2

#CCCCFF

#FFE6CC

#FFFFCC

#FFCCFF

Periwinkle Color Meaning

Periwinkle has a range of different meanings and it has been used in symbolism throughout history and across different cultures. Some common meanings include:

  • Calm – Just like other colors in the cool color range, periwinkle is often associated with feelings of peace, calm, and tranquillity.
  • Femininity – Periwinkle is often seen as a distinctly feminine color with it being associated with romance, grace, and elegance.
  • Spirituality – You will sometimes see periwinkle linked to spirituality, meditation, and introspection.
  • Creativity – Periwinkle is seen as a color that stimulates creativity, imaginative thinking, and artistic expression.
  • Balance – With its calming and spiritual associations, periwinkle is seen as a balancing color that creates a sense of unity and equilibrium.
  • Healing – in some traditions, periwinkle is associated with well-being and healing because of its beneficial calming effects on the body and mind.

Conclusion

Periwinkle is a great color choice for you if you are choosing colors for a brand or website that leans toward femininity, healing, health, or spirituality. And because it blends so well with many other colors, it is versatile as well. Win-win!

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