Periwinkle Color Palette
Periwinkle is hex #CCCCFF, rgb(204, 204, 255). Periwinkle is a pale blue-violet, between lavender and cornflower blue. It is named after the periwinkle flower and reads as gentle, dreamy and friendly.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Periwinkle color codes
Reading the periwinkle color codes
The hex code #CCCCFF is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. CC is 204, CC is 204 and FF is 255, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(204, 204, 255) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives periwinkle its indigo character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 240 degrees places periwinkle in the indigo part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 90% makes it a very light color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 20% cyan, 20% magenta, 0% yellow and 0% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to periwinkle for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Periwinkle shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #CCCCFF, so you can use periwinkle for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"periwinkle": {
50: "#E4E4FF",
100: "#CCCCFF",
200: "#B9B9EA",
300: "#A6A6D6",
400: "#9494C1",
500: "#8181AD",
600: "#6E6E98",
700: "#5B5B83",
800: "#49496F",
900: "#36365A",
950: "#232346",
},
},
},
}:root {
--periwinkle-50: #E4E4FF;
--periwinkle-100: #CCCCFF;
--periwinkle-200: #B9B9EA;
--periwinkle-300: #A6A6D6;
--periwinkle-400: #9494C1;
--periwinkle-500: #8181AD;
--periwinkle-600: #6E6E98;
--periwinkle-700: #5B5B83;
--periwinkle-800: #49496F;
--periwinkle-900: #36365A;
--periwinkle-950: #232346;
}A shade-by-shade guide to periwinkle
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#E4E4FF) and 100 (#CCCCFF), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the periwinkle mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#B9B9EA) and 300 (#A6A6D6) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where periwinkle is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 600 upward, so use step 600 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#49496F) through 950 (#232346), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to periwinkle. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with periwinkle
How the periwinkle color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from periwinkle is #FFFFCC, which sits closest to cream among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #CCE6FF and #E6CCFF sit 30 degrees either side of periwinkle. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#FFCCCC and #CCFFCC) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to apricot. The split complementary set (#FFE6CC and #E6FFCC) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #D6D6FF to #3D3DFF. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Periwinkle compared with similar colors
mauve (#E0B0FF) is darker (85% vs 90% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward violet. Choose mauve if you need more weight and contrast; choose periwinkle if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
lavender (#E6E6FA) is lighter (94% vs 90% lightness) and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose lavender if you want a softer, airier version; choose periwinkle if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
powder blue (#B0E0E6) is darker (80% vs 90% lightness) and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward cyan. Choose powder blue if you need more weight and contrast; choose periwinkle if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Periwinkle in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here periwinkle carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
Revenue grew 12% this week. Three invoices are waiting for approval.
Using periwinkle in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on periwinkle only reach 1.54:1, so use dark text (13.65:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid periwinkle for body text on white; use step 600 or darker for links and headings that need to read as periwinkle.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid very light color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with periwinkle. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Periwinkle scores 1.54:1 against white (Fail) and 13.65:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use periwinkle alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What periwinkle means
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious.
Periwinkle takes its name from the periwinkle flower. Pantone's 2022 Color of the Year, Very Peri, was a saturated periwinkle, which brought the hue into many product and brand refreshes.
Purple is heavily used by AI and creative tools, so it can look generic. Desaturate it or pair it with warm neutrals to make it feel chosen rather than default.
Where periwinkle works best
- Kids' brands
- Wellness and mental health apps
- Soft SaaS illustrations
- Spring campaigns
How to style periwinkle
Periwinkle pairs with peach, cream, navy and soft yellow. It needs dark text. It works well for friendly illustrations, kids' brands and gentle highlights in SaaS onboarding.
Build a UI with periwinkle
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #CCCCFF as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Periwinkle · History and definition of periwinkle.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for periwinkle?
The hex code for periwinkle used on this page is #CCCCFF. In RGB that is rgb(204, 204, 255), and in HSL it is hsl(240, 100%, 90%).
What colors go well with periwinkle?
Periwinkle pairs well with #8C8CD9, #F7F7FF, #2E2E5C (the Daydream palette above). Its complementary color is #FFFFCC, and analogous colors are #CCE6FF and #E6CCFF.
Is periwinkle a warm or cool color?
Periwinkle is a cool color. Its hue sits at 240 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use periwinkle for text?
Periwinkle has a contrast ratio of 1.54:1 against white and 13.65:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does periwinkle mean?
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious. Periwinkle in particular is used for kids' brands and wellness and mental health apps.
How do I use periwinkle in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#CCCCFF] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-periwinkle-500 and text-periwinkle-900.
↘ Building Inspo AI | AI-Powered Design Research & Builder Platform | Design Engineer.