Lavender is a pale purple shade created with a mixture of red, blue, and white. It gets its name from the lavender flower of the same color. Lavender is a light and gentle shade that evokes friendship, affection, and freedom. The hex code for lavender is #E6E6FA.
Lavender can be combined with stronger purple shades to create a striking, monochromatic color palette. It can also be mixed with colors commonly found in nature such as deep greens and blues to produce incredible results.
Purple, a mixture of red and blue, has been a symbol of royalty and wealth for millennia. In fact, the dye originally used to make purple was so rare and so expensive that only royalty could afford it. Lavender, though a lighter and more gentle color than purple, still creates the same sense of respect. Considered the floral symbol of love at first sight, lavender lends a softness when used in tandem with other colors.
You can combine it with other shades of purple like eggplant and amethyst or colors you see in nature like greens and blues.
Looking for a different hue? The following colors are related to lavender.
- Purple
- Red
- Blue
Information about Lavender / #E6E6FA
In a RGB color space (made from three colored lights for red, green, and blue), hex #E6E6FA is made of 90.2% red, 90.2% green and 98% blue. In a CMYK color space (also known as process color, or four color, and used in color printing), hex #E6E6FA is made of 8% cyan, 8% magenta, 0% yellow and 2% black. Lavender has a hue angle of 240 degrees, a saturation of 66.7% and a lightness of 94.1%.
Color conversion
The hexadecimal color #E6E6FA has RGB values of R: 90.2, G: 90.2, B: 98 and CMYK values of C: 0.08, M: 0.08, Y: 0, K:0.02.
Lavender Color Symbolism in Different Cultures
The color lavender’s meaning is intrinsically linked to the origins of its name: the flowering herb that hails from the Mediterranean region. This herb is a light purple, though the color itself is often also referred to as “thistle,” “orchid,” or “plum.”
In Christianity, youth and vitality are linked to the meaning of the color lavender. Light purple is a key color marking Easter in the springtime, which is a celebration of Christ’s rebirth and the onset of spring. Lavender also carries the symbolic meaning of optimism at a new stage of life, shutting out negativity and worry.
Some people think the word “lavender” comes from the word “lavare,” meaning “to wash,” since lavender is often used as an essential oil or in bathing and self-care products due to its relaxing scent. This can also be thought of figuratively; lavender is an excellent color for creating a refreshing blank slate. Its association with springtime and Easter (and, by extension, the resurrection of Christ) furthers this association.
Lavender is often used around the world in nurseries and children’s bedrooms. It’s considered to be a more mature version of baby pink.
In North America and Europe, lavender’s meaning is synonymous with springtime.
Lavender is also the color of royalty because it is so rare in nature. Naturally-derived dyes were reserved for the elite (until relatively recently when industrial dyes made it possible for the masses to have purple-colored fabrics).
The ancient Hebrews saw lavender as a holy color. The herb was used as a key component of their ritual anointing oil. It’s even mentioned in the biblical Song of Solomon.