Shades of Mauve: Names and Hex Codes
This is a practical reference for the most useful shades of mauve, with accurate hex codes, RGB values, and notes on character and use. Mauve is a pale, greyed purple that sits between lavender and dusty rose — softer and more muted than violet, warmer and more sophisticated than plain pink. Small shifts toward grey, brown, or red turn it from an airy floral lilac into a dusky taupe or a deep antique wine, so the right mauve depends entirely on the mood you want. Use the table below as a citable palette, then read on for how the shades group together.
For how mauve compares with its close relatives, see mauve vs dusty rose; for the symbolism, read color psychology. The deeper purple family is covered in our shades of plum reference, and the soft greens that pair with it in shades of sage.
Shades of mauve: full table
| Shade name | Hex | RGB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mauve | #E0B0FF | 224, 176, 255 | Light pinkish-purple baseline. |
| French Mauve | #D473D4 | 212, 115, 212 | Brighter, more saturated mauve. |
| Mauve Taupe | #915F6D | 145, 95, 109 | Greyed brown-mauve. |
| Dusty Mauve | #915F6D | 145, 95, 109 | Soft muted rose-mauve. |
| Old Mauve | #673147 | 103, 49, 71 | Deep antique wine-mauve. |
| Pale Mauve | #E6BBD9 | 230, 187, 217 | Very light pink-mauve. |
| Opera Mauve | #B784A7 | 183, 132, 167 | Mid dusty lilac-mauve. |
| Lilac Mauve | #C8A2C8 | 200, 162, 200 | Soft floral lilac-mauve. |
| Mauve Grey | #8C6A80 | 140, 106, 128 | Neutral greyed mauve. |
| Antique Mauve | #A66E8A | 166, 110, 138 | Vintage rose-mauve. |
| Antique Fuchsia | #915C83 | 145, 92, 131 | Muted purple-mauve. |
| Mauve Mist | #D8B2D1 | 216, 178, 209 | Airy pale grey-pink mauve. |
| Deep Mauve | #7E5C73 | 126, 92, 115 | Darker muted plum-mauve. |
| Rose Mauve | #AF6E96 | 175, 110, 150 | Pink-leaning mauve. |
| Mauve Shadow | #71636B | 113, 99, 107 | Cool greyed neutral mauve. |
| Soft Mauve | #C4A1B5 | 196, 161, 181 | Gentle muted pink-mauve. |
| Mauve Wine | #56424E | 86, 66, 78 | Deep dusky wine-mauve. |
| Mauve Blush | #E0C3DA | 224, 195, 218 | Pale blush-toned mauve. |
| Dusk Mauve | #9A7B8A | 154, 123, 138 | Twilight grey-mauve. |
| Plum Mauve | #86608E | 134, 96, 142 | Purple-leaning mauve. |
| Mauve Smoke | #B0A0AB | 176, 160, 171 | Very neutral light grey-mauve. |
| Mauve Black | #4A2C3A | 74, 44, 58 | Near-black deep mauve. |
| Orchid Mauve | #CDA4C4 | 205, 164, 196 | Soft orchid-pink mauve. |
| Heather Mauve | #9D7E92 | 157, 126, 146 | Muted heather-toned mauve. |
| Slate Mauve | #735C6C | 115, 92, 108 | Cool slate-grey mauve. |
| Petal Mauve | #D7A9C9 | 215, 169, 201 | Soft floral petal-mauve. |
Light and pastel mauves
The brightest mauves read as airy and floral. Mauve (#E0B0FF), Pale Mauve (#E6BBD9), Mauve Blush (#E0C3DA), Mauve Mist (#D8B2D1), and Lilac Mauve (#C8A2C8) are the soft, low-saturation pink-purples that feel delicate and romantic. The named color Mauve at #E0B0FF is noticeably more lavender than the historical dye it is named for, which is why it works so well as a gentle pastel backdrop. Softer floral options like Petal Mauve (#D7A9C9) push the same family a touch pinker for invitations and packaging. These light mauves are popular in beauty, wedding, and wellness branding because they read as calm, feminine, and contemporary without being saccharine. Because they carry so little saturation, they hold up well as full-bleed backgrounds where a brighter pink would feel juvenile, and they photograph cleanly against white and natural wood.
Dusty and greyed mauves
Pull mauve toward grey and it becomes the sophisticated dusty tone most people picture. Dusty Mauve (#915F6D), Mauve Taupe (#915F6D), Mauve Grey (#8C6A80), Heather Mauve (#9D7E92), and Mauve Smoke (#B0A0AB) carry enough grey to function almost as neutrals. Cooler variants such as Slate Mauve (#735C6C) bring a grey-blue undertone that reads as more architectural and modern. These muted mauves are the workhorses of modern interiors and editorial palettes because they pair with nearly anything and never feel loud, behaving like a tinted greige that quietly warms a room or a layout. The line between mauve and dusty rose lives here — for where it falls, see mauve vs dusty rose.
Deep and antique mauves
The richest mauves go dark and wine-toned. Old Mauve (#673147), Mauve Wine (#56424E), Deep Mauve (#7E5C73), and Mauve Black (#4A2C3A) are the antique, vintage tones that read as heritage and luxury. Old Mauve in particular nods to the original aniline dye that made the color fashionable in the 1800s. These deep mauves anchor premium packaging, book covers, and moody interiors where a pale mauve would feel too slight, and they pair beautifully with brass, cream, and deep green.
Rosy and purple-leaning mauves
Mauve tilts in two directions from its center. Push it toward red and you get Rose Mauve (#AF6E96), Antique Mauve (#A66E8A), and Orchid Mauve (#CDA4C4), which feel warmer and more romantic. Push it toward purple and you reach Plum Mauve (#86608E), Antique Fuchsia (#915C83), and French Mauve (#D473D4), which feel bolder and more saturated. These directional mauves let you bias a palette warm or cool while keeping the overall dusty character intact.
Most popular shades of mauve
The mauves most people name and use are Mauve (#E0B0FF) as the light baseline, French Mauve (#D473D4) for a brighter saturated option, Dusty Mauve (#915F6D) for the muted everyday tone, Mauve Taupe (#915F6D) for a near-neutral, and Old Mauve (#673147) for a deep antique anchor. Together they cover airy through dusty to deep, which is why they suit elegant, slightly vintage palettes.
How to use shades of mauve in design
Mauve signals sophistication, calm, and quiet nostalgia, so it lifts palettes that want to feel refined without going cold. Use pale mauves like Pale Mauve and Mauve Blush for backgrounds and supportive fills; use dusty mauves like Dusty Mauve and Mauve Grey as near-neutrals across large areas; and reserve deep mauves like Old Mauve and Mauve Wine for anchors, headers, and accents. Mauve pairs beautifully with sage green, cream, blush, brass, and warm grey, evoking elegance and understated femininity. The main risk is that mauve can read as drab if every tone is equally muted, so build contrast by combining a deep wine-mauve with a clean cream or a single brighter French mauve. A reliable approach treats a deep mauve as your anchor, a dusty mauve as the mid-tone, and a pale mauve or neutral for backgrounds. Because mauve reads as gentle and heritage-leaning, it suits beauty, wedding, wellness, and lifestyle brands particularly well. Treat the greyed dusty mauves as your neutral layer and reserve the deepest old-mauve and wine tones for the moments that need weight, the way a vintage textile holds both faded and saturated areas of the same hue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for mauve?
The most common hex code for mauve is #E0B0FF (RGB 224, 176, 255), a light pinkish-purple. Historically mauve was a more muted, greyed purple, closer to Dusty Mauve (#915F6D) or Old Mauve (#673147). For a brighter version use French Mauve (#D473D4), and for a near-neutral use Mauve Taupe (#915F6D).
What is the difference between mauve and dusty rose?
Mauve leans purple and grey, reading as a muted lilac, while dusty rose leans pink and warm, reading as a muted rose. Mauve sits closer to lavender; dusty rose sits closer to blush pink. The two overlap in their dusty mid-tones, but mauve always carries more purple and dusty rose more red.
How many shades of mauve are there?
Mauve variations are effectively limitless because mauve spans the grey-purple band between lavender and rose, but designers typically reference 20 to 30 named shades. This list includes 24 of the most recognized, from pale lilac mauves through dusty greyed tones to deep antique wine-mauves.
What colors go well with mauve?
Mauve pairs naturally with sage green, cream, blush, and warm grey for a soft, elegant palette. For more contrast, combine mauve with brass, deep green, or charcoal. Pale and dusty mauves also work alongside soft gold and dusty blue for a refined, vintage-leaning scheme.
