What Color Is Mauve? Meaning, Shades And Best Combinations

This purplish color referred to as mauve has gained huge popularity in the social media world as well ever since its creation long back in history.

Mauve color evokes a feeling of decadence, youth, and femininity. Purity and devotion are also two elements associated with the color.

Most people who choose the color mauve as their favorite are seen as idealistic and pure. They are also criticized for being hopeless romantics and too dreamy.

But today, the purple mauve color is often seen in fashion and cosmetics. The regal ambiance that the color provides is used for many functions and events and room colors and decorations as color schemes. The color invokes romance, sentimental feelings, and nostalgia in people.

After reading all about the color mauve, check out what color is graphite and what color is mahogany.

Where does mauve get its name from?

The beautiful color mauve comes from the purple family. Coming from the purple shade, mauve got its name in the late 1700s. The name ‘mauve’ has been given after the mallow flower which is pale purple-pinkish in color. Mallow is called mauve in french for its color.

Nowadays mauve is used pretty much as an adjective for purple. It is also sometimes referred to as the pale purple variety.

Sometimes, this neutral pale purple color with a gray tint is used as a substitute for purple. The word mauve has a history with the Latin Malva, which was a common term for purple petals flowering or blooming flowers (today's mallow flower).

The name mauve was officially given out by the Oxford English dictionary in the late 1700s.

In 1865, a man named William Henry Perkin tried inventing a cure for the disease of malaria. But during the process, he instead made an interesting mauve-colored residue which turned out as the first synthetic dye to be produced.

This dye got the nickname mauveine or Perkin’s mauve. Slowly in the 1890s, this discovery of mauve led to a huge success in purple clothing, which led the decade to be known as the mauve decade.

Different Shades Of Mauve

Mauve color code is related to a pale grey-toned mini version of a violet cum pink warm and soft color. Sometimes the color mauve can be seen as a pale shade of bluish purple.

Compared to a pale magenta color, mauve is more like a grey and blue shade. The color mauve is also described as a pale violet color.

Mauve color chart places the mauve pink-purple color near violet and pink in the color wheel. We can say mauve is slightly similar to purple, but purple color is more of a dark tint and hue of red and blue, whereas mauve is more like a pale or light hue or tint of violet.

Pink mauve is a perfect saturation of fuchsia as well as a muted purple-pink shade with a magenta undertone, which is a good option to paint a girl's room in order to spark some creative spirits into the room.

Variations of the color mauve are rich mauve, french mauve, opera mauve, mauve taupe, and old mauve.

Also, the list doesn’t end here. There are a lot of shades, tints, and mixes of the purple-pink color of mauve.

What colors go well with mauve?

The Mauve color wheel has violet and pink in it’s both sides. As mauve taupe is a neutral color, any compliment colors to purple or mauve can go with the color.

The pale purple color of mauve will go well and bright with liquid blue, peppercorn, teal, verve violet, turquoise, peacock blue, white, pale pink, red, light green, and black.

Depending on the hues and tones and intensity of the mauve shade, the color would be a great combination with a cool seasonal palette. Navy blue, summer off-white, light pink, watermelon red, grassy green, and other light blues go well with mauve.

Complimentary colors that are directly opposite to mauve or purple in the color wheel can be a good option to get it teamed up with mauve.

Yellow is the color that is directly opposite to the mauve in the color wheel. Even though not only yellow, a yellow-orange mix or gradient can also go great with mauve.

More than lime yellow, the gold shade of yellow and silver are a great option to merge with mauve to showcase a royal and standard look.

A triad color scheme can also be used to get a vivid color scheme for your rooms and walls. Green and orange are the squad members of the triad with mauve.

Mauve Color Combinations

According to historians, after its creation by William Henry Perkin, the color mauve was said to be the color that changed the world. This color is now popularly being used as a background color scheme for many events.

Nowadays, mauve, which is a neutral color, is used almost everywhere as the color creates a whole new field for fashion and events. Some of the cool and modern mauve color combinations that you can find today are given below.

Let it be a happy event or a sad one, a big one or a small one, mauve is tried to be included in every festival, ritual, event, or function these days. The most common color combination of mauve is mauve and black.

Various hues and shades of mauve are used with black to create deep and dark emotions and feelings. Shades of purple and blue are another combination that can be made for kid's party themes.

Gray and pink and mauve color combinations are the most used for wedding ceremonies and matching dresses color schemes. Another royal color combination is mauve and gold. An aesthetic touch with royalty and positivity is felt with this combination.

A pleasant color combination for functions is mauve, wine, and mint green. Mauve and silver color combinations are used for giving a strong impression.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what color is mauve then why not take a look at what color is cyan, or what color is carbon.