Periwinkle Color
Periwinkle is a blue color with hex code #C5D0E6. This page covers its meaning, all color values, harmonies, colors that go with periwinkle, shades, tints, similar colors, CSS examples, FAQs, and WCAG contrast ratios.
Periwinkle Color Values
What Does Periwinkle Mean?
Periwinkle belongs to the blue family of colors. Blue wins popularity surveys in every culture that runs them, and corporate design reflects it. Trust and stability are the usual words people reach for. Dark navies project authority, pale blues open a layout up, and almost nothing clashes with it. As a lighter shade, Periwinkle reads as airy and understated, comfortable working in backgrounds and across big surfaces.
In the ISCC-NBS color naming system, Periwinkle is classified as a blue (nearest centroid: very pale purplish blue, #C0C8E1). It is also known as Paper Elephant.
Color Harmonies
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Colors That Go With Periwinkle
Periwinkle and #E7DCC6 are complements, parked opposite each other on the wheel. Together they hit maximum contrast, so a rough 70/30 split keeps the pairing from shouting.
Analogous neighbors — #C6E1E7 and #CBC6E7, which sit beside periwinkle on the wheel. Pairings like this feel calm and settled, which suits backgrounds and gradients.
For an energetic three-color palette, pair periwinkle with triadic partners #E7C6D1 and #D1E7C6. All three sit evenly spaced around the wheel, so the scheme stays lively without clashing.
Build and test these combinations in our Color Wheel Tool or check text readability with the Contrast Checker.
Tints and Shades
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Similar Colors
- Light Blue Grey —
#B7C9E2(Delta E 4) - Spindle —
#B6D1EA(Delta E 5) - LightSteelBlue —
#B0C4DE(Delta E 6) - Ghost —
#C7C9D5(Delta E 6) - Hawkes Blue —
#D4E2FC(Delta E 7)
CSS Examples
.text { color: #C5D0E6; }
.background { background-color: #C5D0E6; }
.border { border: 2px solid #C5D0E6; }
.shadow { box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #C5D0E640; }WCAG Contrast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for periwinkle?
Periwinkle has the hex code #C5D0E6. In RGB notation it is rgb(197, 208, 230), in HSL it is hsl(220, 40%, 84%), and its OKLCH value is 0.856, 0.033, 264.4.
What does the color periwinkle mean?
Blue-family colors like periwinkle carry distinct psychological associations. Periwinkle belongs to the blue family of colors. Blue wins popularity surveys in every culture that runs them, and corporate design reflects it. Trust and stability are the usual words people reach for. Dark navies project authority, pale blues open a layout up, and almost nothing clashes with it. As a lighter shade, Periwinkle reads as airy and understated, comfortable working in backgrounds and across big surfaces.
What colors go with periwinkle?
Periwinkle has three easy routes: its complement #E7DCC6 for punch, its neighbors #C6E1E7 and #CBC6E7 for something calmer, or triadic partners #E7C6D1 and #D1E7C6 when you want energy.
Is periwinkle a standard web color?
No — Periwinkle is not a CSS keyword. Use its hex value #C5D0E6 or any RGB/HSL equivalent in your stylesheets.
How do I make periwinkle lighter or darker?
To lighten periwinkle, add white to create tints; to darken it, add black to create shades. The tints and shades table above shows five computed steps of each, from #F4F6FA (lightest tint) to #151F32 (darkest shade).
About Periwinkle
Periwinkle is classified as a Blue in the ISCC-NBS color naming system, within the Blue hue family. It has alternative names including Paper Elephant. The color is recognized by Crayola, meodai.
Use our Color Converter to convert #C5D0E6 to any other color format, or explore the Color Wheel to find harmonious color combinations.