African Violet

HEX: #B284BE | Modern Palette

On White
3.03:1
FAIL
On Black
6.94:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#B284BE
RGB
178, 132, 190
HSL
287°, 30% ,74%
CMYK
6.32, 30.53, 0, 25.49

About African Violet

African Violet (#B284BE) is a color with RGB(178, 132, 190) and HSL(287.59°, 30.53%, 74.51%). In design, it fits Pastel styles and is suitable for Text, Print. Its complementary color is #90BE84, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #BEB284 and #84BEB2. The name comes from Saintpaulia (Latin).

  • HEX: #B284BE
  • RGB: 178, 132, 190
  • HSL: 287.59°, 30.53%, 74.51%
  • Style: Pastel
  • Use case: Text, Print
  • Complementary color: #90BE84
  • Triadic colors: #BEB284, #84BEB2
  • The name comes from Saintpaulia (Latin).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

African Violet #B284BE is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
 
 
AFRICAN VIOLET
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
AFRICAN VIOLET
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

African Violet #B284BE pairs with #90BE84 as its complementary color, and #BEB284 and #84BEB2 in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

AFRICAN VIOLET
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

AFRICAN VIOLET
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

AFRICAN VIOLET
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

AFRICAN VIOLET
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

AFRICAN VIOLET
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

AFRICAN VIOLET

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for African Violet #B284BE moves from dark #0F0911 tones through the base color to lighter #F5EEF6 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

AFRICAN VIOLET

Color Characteristics

Mood
Style
Pastel
Use case
Text Print

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #9393BD
Protanopia #8A8ABE
Tritanopia #AB8D8D
Achromatopsia #949494

Frequently Asked Questions

African Violet (#B284BE) is a color with RGB(178, 132, 190) and HSL(287.59°, 30.53%, 74.51%).

#B284BE pairs strongly with #90BE84 as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#B284BE is suitable for Text, Print and works well with Pastel styles.

The name African Violet is linked to Saintpaulia from Latin, meaning Named after Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word Saintpaulia
Meaning Named after Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire
Language Latin
First Recorded Use Late 19th Century

History

The African Violet (Saintpaulia) was first 'discovered' by Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illaire in 1892 in what was then German East Africa (modern-day Tanzania). He sent seeds to his father in Germany, who then passed them to a botanist, Hermann Wendland, who officially described the plant. It quickly gained popularity as an indoor houseplant due to its relatively easy care and beautiful, long-lasting flowers. The color 'African Violet' (#b284be) specifically refers to the typical purple-pink hue of many popular varieties of the flower.

First Recorded Use

1892

Cultural Associations

African Violets are one of the most popular houseplants worldwide. They are often associated with domesticity, beauty, and a touch of elegance. Their relatively small size and vibrant colors make them a common gift and a staple in many homes. They are also known for their ability to bloom almost continuously under proper conditions, making them a symbol of enduring beauty.

Similar Named Colors
Purple Mountain's Majesty #9D81BA ΔE 4.90
Lenurple #BA93D8 ΔE 5.71
Lavender Purple #967BB6 ΔE 6.59
Opera Mauve #B784A7 ΔE 6.88

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #B284BE;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #B284BE;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #B284BE;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #B284BE,
        #B2D2AA
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #B284BE,
        #B2D2AA
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$african-violet: #B284BE;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$african-violet-r: 178;
$african-violet-g: 132;
$african-violet-b: 190;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $african-violet;
    color: rgba($african-violet-r, $african-violet-g, $african-violet-b, 0.8);
}