The Meaning of Color: Purple
Whether you associate it with princesses or Provence, this hue can add a touch of magic to your decor
In this series on the meaning of color, we’re looking at color from a wide range of perspectives: design, psychology, philosophy and nature. So far we’ve examined red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Now it’s time to complete the spectrum with a deeper look at the color purple. Let’s get to know this color a little bit better, from the way it makes us feel to how it’s used in our homes.
The color purple and mood. A hue long associated with royalty, purple still conveys feelings of wealth and abundance. But it’s also a spiritual color and can represent magic, mystery and imagination. Think of amethyst crystals and misty purple mountains.
The color purple in feng shui. Purple is the color of spirituality and abundance, making it an equally good choice for a home office or a yoga and meditation space. Because it’s made up of red (a fire color) and blue (representing water), purple straddles the line between soothing and uplifting energy. A soft lavender with more blue than red can work in a nursery or bedroom, while plummy hues are better reserved for more active spaces.
The color purple in nature. Purple in nature brings to mind fields of fragrant lavender in Provence, cheery foxgloves in an English cottage garden and the heady scent of lilac bushes perfuming the summer night in the Southern U.S. Beyond the floral, purple frequently pops up at market stalls in the form of eggplants, plums and onions still in their papery skins. Purple evokes serenity, peace and abundance.
Nature’s Color Wisdom: Lessons on Lavender From the Great Outdoors
Nature’s Color Wisdom: Lessons on Lavender From the Great Outdoors
Purple and the chakras. If you’re into yoga or meditation, you may have heard of the chakras; in some forms of Buddhism and Hinduism they’re considered centers of energy in the body.
The chakras start at the base of the spine and go up to the crown of the head, with the lower chakras being more closely related to our physical bodies and the upper chakras more to our spirit.
The crown chakra, at the very top of the head (or even hovering just above the top of the head), is associated with the color violet and represents spirituality and enlightenment, inner and outer beauty, peace and bliss.
The chakras start at the base of the spine and go up to the crown of the head, with the lower chakras being more closely related to our physical bodies and the upper chakras more to our spirit.
The crown chakra, at the very top of the head (or even hovering just above the top of the head), is associated with the color violet and represents spirituality and enlightenment, inner and outer beauty, peace and bliss.
The color purple in design. Plummy hues are rich and mellow, making them some of the easiest shades of purple to work with. Try plum as a backdrop for a gallery wall or built-in bookcases or on the walls of a study with rich Oriental or kilim rugs on the floors. If softer shades of lavender are more your cup of tea, choose accents in crisp white, creamy ivory, silver and gray for a luxurious look. To up the contrast, pair purple with green — try plum with chartreuse or lavender with soft celadon.
What Goes With Purple Walls?
What Goes With Purple Walls?
Using purple at home. Pale shades of purple like lavender make a relaxing choice for a bedroom, nursery, powder room or quiet sitting room. Consider using a deep shade of plum or eggplant as a less expected neutral in the living room or study, paired with warm neutrals like chocolate, smoke gray and bronze.
The color purple and you. When it comes down to it, you are the authority on which hue is right for your home. If you still think of purple as the color of your “pretty princess”-themed bedroom when you were a child, it may be best to keep purple in the children’s spaces. But if purple brings to mind Provence more than princesses, by all means let your love for it reign.
Exploring further. Try out one or more of these explorations to deepen your color awareness:
More: 21 Reasons to Decorate With Purple
- Visit a local arboretum or formal garden and notice how the color purple is used in the design
- Browse your local bookstore and flip through books that catch your eye in the interior design section, noticing how purple is used in professionally designed spaces
- Visit a paint store and bring home some purple swatches
- Go on a color hunt in an art museum or gallery, searching for works that use purple
More: 21 Reasons to Decorate With Purple