Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by lindseymahoney
With the rising popularity of English designs and cottagecore trends, mauve has become increasingly popular as an interior paint color.
To avoid this color feeling dated (very popular in the 80s), I prefer more muted mauves that can easily be used as a neutral within a space.
The color mauve has been on my brain lately because I am planning a vintage-inspired makeover for my daughter’s bedroom.
Unsurprisingly, my 5-year-old has requested pink walls and I am determined to find a dusty pink that she will love when she is 5 or 15 years old!
I pulled together a bunch of beautiful mauve and dusty pink paint colors I loved! If you are looking for a similar paint color, I know you will find a fabulous option in the round-up below.
16 Dusty Pink & Mauve Paint Colors For you to Try
What is the color mauve?
Mauve is in the purple color family.
There are many different versions of mauve depending on if it is a tint, a shade, or desaturated. Mauve tends to lean more pink or brown.
While it is a great option for a neutral backdrop, it can also be used to bring youthfulness or femininity to a space.
1 | Setting Plaster by Farrow & Ball
LRV 57
I have saved and pinned this image dozens of times and am in love with this beautiful, dusty pink!
This bedroom is a design by Heidi Cailler and in my eyes, she can do no wrong. It is named after freshly plastered walls and the heavy dose of yellow pigment in this pink gives it that warmth and total English cottage vibes.
2 | Seaside Sand by Benjamin Moore
LRV 36
Benjamin Moore describes this color as a deep, dusty mauve that verges on a neutral beige.
3 | Mauve Madness by Glidden
LRV 24
Mauve Madness is a desaturated pinkish-red color, which I classify as more of a deep mauve. With the gray undertones, this romantic rose hue is striking without being overpowering.
4 | Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball
LRV 35
Another Farrow and Ball paint color that constantly catches my attention is Dead Salmon.
This warm, chameleon color changes from dusty pink to beige depending on the time of day and lighting. It is a beautiful neutral that is lovely in a dining room surrounded by candlelight.
5 | Foggy Mauve by Valspar
LRV 33
Another deep mauve color option with gray undertones. Foggy Mauve is a cooler color that can look really striking on interior walls.
With an LRV in the low 30s, this color does not reflect much light and will feel even darker in a room without much natural light.
6 | Chippendale Rosetone by Benjamin Moore
LRV 49
Chippendale Rosetone is a part of Benjamin Moore’s Historical Color collection.
This warm mauve has a vintage vibe while feeling sophisticated and timeless. Although the inspiration for this color comes from historic homes, you can easily incorporate it into traditional or contemporary designs.
7 | Purple Mauve by Behr
LRV 26
If you are looking for a deeper mauve color, this one may be for you. On the color wheel, Purple Mauve leans closer to purple/blue which makes it a cooler color.
When you desaturate a bold color like purple, it grounds the color and can create a moody vibe.
8 | Doeskin by Sherwin Williams
LRV 47
This muted mauve has gray tones and looks a little more purple in certain lighting. I actually tested this color in my daughter’s bedroom and it leaned a bit too purple for what I was looking for.
It looks fabulous as an accent color, like the bedroom doors in the image below.
9 | Sherwin Williams Likeable Sand
LRV 50
This mauve paint color is very similar to Setting Plaster by Farrow and Ball they were the top picks for my daughter’s bedroom makeover.
In the end, Likeable Sand won! It works so well in the bedroom and feels like a warm hug with lamplight at night.
The bedroom is south-facing so it gets lots of sun during the day. This paint color is a bit of a chameleon as the light changes looking more pink in the morning and more beige at night.
To tone down all of the warm colors in the room, I added some cooler blues to the curtains and desk.
10 | Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball
LRV 72
I don’t think I have seen this color in a room and NOT loved it. Pink Ground is a stunning blush pink that feels feminine without the frills.
Warm woods, scalloped furniture, and perfect pattern choices complement this pink paint color. Pair this pink neutral with a warmer white instead of a stark white, to create a welcoming and warm aesthetic.
11 | Behr Castilian Pink
LRV 49
Here is another example from Style Mutt Home that proves pink is the new neutral.
This pink is actually a light shade of red-orange.
Red is considered a warm color, which brings in that coziness, while the addition of black and gray pigment (shade) tones the color down to create this neutral pink.
12 | Dusty Lavender by Valspar
LRV 37
A rich, smoky lavender with cool undertones and also Valspar’s pick for color of the year in 2021.
Leaning more toward the purplish gray color of mauve, this desaturated hue is earthy and feminine.
13 | Clare Paint Meet Cute
LRV 50
Meet Cute is another great neutral that almost has an earthy, peach hue. Being part of the red-orange color family, the desaturation makes it a pink that is not “in-your-face”.
14 | Cabbage Rose by Magnolia Paint
LRV 60
Cabbage Rose is a muted, salmon pink by Magnolia Paint. Joanna Gaines chose this color for the dresser in this sophisticated girl’s bedroom.
The cool gray walls and warm pink, pair very well together.
15 | Sherwin Williams Romance
LRV 66
Romance is a beautiful, dusty pink that feels feminine and mature. This popular pink was also chosen as the Color of the Year in 2020 and was one of my personal favs!
I chose this light pink color for our small, guest bathroom and am so pleased with the result!
The bathroom has zero natural light, so it definitely comes across as a little darker than a room with windows. To tone down all of the warmth in the room, I used daylight lightbulbs overhead.
16 | First Light by Benjamin Moore
LRV 77
This pale pink is a lighter tint than most of the colors in this roundup. Honestly, this may not qualify as a “mauve” color, but it is a great option if a homeowner is looking for a sophisticated, neutral pinky purple.
This rosy hue brings a freshness to a room that looks sophisticated with black accents.
Pink Shadow by Sherwin Williams
LRV 58
This pale pink powder room by Park and Division is a dream! Pink Shadow is part of the Sherwin Williams Historic Collection and it is such a beautiful choice for this small bathroom. The soft pink pulls in the pinks of the sink skirt and pairs perfectly with the artwork.
Looking for more Paint Color Inspo?
- Evergreen Fog by Sherwin Williams | Color Review
- The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors to Try at Home
- Color Review | Sherwin Williams Redend Point
- 15 Beautiful Gray Green Paint Colors
- Timeless Dark Green Paint Colors to Try at Home
- How To Choose The Best Paint Colors For Your Home
FAQs
Where can I use a mauve paint color?
Anywhere you want! When choosing any paint color in a room, it is important to consider the natural light within a room and the direction it is facing.
If the room is north-facing with a small window, a mauve with a higher LRV may be better so that it doesn’t feel super dark.
Choosing a color also depends on the style you want to achieve. Colors with a lower LRV, like purple mauve, will work better in a room that you want to make cozy and warm.
Colors like Pink Ground with a higher LRV will make a room feel lighter and brighter.
What does Light Reflective Value (LRV) Mean?
LRV tells us how much light a color absorbs on a scale from 0 to 100. The lower the number, the less light the color will reflect and will therefore feel darker.
The higher the LRV number, the more reflective the color, making a space feel lighter and brighter.
Can mauve be used as a neutral?
Absolutely!
When mauve is desaturated with gray, it can easily be used in different styles and designs.
Whether it is more of a purplish blue mauve or pinky-orange mauve, with desaturation, it takes on a muddy tone that is a great neutral color to use throughout a home.
What Colors Pair Best with Mauve?
If you choose colors with a similar saturation, you can pair mauve with any color on the color wheel. Complimentary colors are the colors across from each other on the color wheel.
A mauve color that leans more purple will pair well with yellowish greens. A mauve paint color that leans more red will pair well with blues or blueish greens.
Is mauve a cool or warm color?
Mauve falls in the purple color family which classifies it as a cool color.
Because my definition of mauve is a bit looser where it can lean closer to the red color family as well, it can also be a warm color.
The mauve colors that look more beige or pale pink have warmer undertones. The mauve colors that look more purple will have cooler undertones.
What is a dusty mauve?
Whenever I use the adjectives dusty, muddy, earthy, or muted – it basically means there are gray undertones and it has been neutralized.
What is the history of mauve?
Historically, purple has been a symbol of royalty and wealth.
Before the accidental discovery of the color mauve in the 1850s, any color that did not derive from a natural material was very expensive to create.
The color mauve could be created chemically at an inexpensive price and it became incredibly popular with its availability to the general public.
What does the color mauve symbolize?
As I mentioned above, the colors in the purple family symbolize wealth, royalty, and abundance. Mauve can also symbolize femininity and youthfulness.
