Lavender is a light purple shade that is quite popular in home decor, fashion, and beauty. It has a soft, feminine vibe and can add a sense of tranquility and elegance to any space. While pure lavender is very light, there are ways to make the color darker for a more dramatic look. Adding a touch of black, navy blue, eggplant, or even brown can deepen lavender into a luxurious jewel tone. Understanding color mixing is key when exploring how to transform light lavender into a richer, moodier hue.
Deepening Lavender with Black
One of the most straightforward ways to make lavender darker is by adding black to it. Black is the darkest shade possible, so adding even a small amount will lower the lightness level and saturate the purple. When mixed together, lavender and black create a gorgeous tone that is bolder and more mysterious than original lavender, but still very much on the purple side of the color spectrum.
If using paint to mix these two shades, start with a premixed lavender and add black paint a little bit at a time until you achieve the darkness desired. Test mixes on swatches before applying to a larger surface. For dyeing fabric or colorizing frosting, mix a few drops of black food coloring or dye into the lavender base a drop at a time until the preferred color develops.
| Amount of Black Added | Resulting Color |
|---|---|
| Few drops | Lavender with subtle greyish tone |
| 1 part black to 4 parts lavender | Deep lavender with hint of grey |
| 1 part black to 2 parts lavender | Darker royal purple |
| Equal parts black and lavender | Deep eggplant purple |
The more black added, the further the color will move from soft, light lavender into a dramatic deep purple with strong grey undertones. For a richer lavender that still reads as a light to medium-light purple, keep the black ratio to under 25%. Up to 50% black will provide a dark lavender nearing eggplant territory.
Darkening with Navy Blue
Another color that can transform light lavender into a darker, moodier hue is navy blue. The depth of navy helps tone down the brightness of original lavender, resulting in a sophisticated bluish-purple hybrid. Navy and lavender complement each other beautifully, lending the mixture both energy and elegance.
As with black, incorporate navy by adding small amounts at a time until the preferred saturation is reached. Navy is not as potent as black in darkening, so you will need to use more in order to achieve the same deep purple effect. However, the advantage is that navy maintains that regal blue undertone as it shifts the lavender darker.
| Amount of Navy Added | Resulting Color |
|---|---|
| Few drops | Lavender with a hint of blue |
| 1 part navy to 3 parts lavender | Soft periwinkle purple |
| Half navy, half lavender | Darker royal purple with blue tones |
| 2 parts navy to 1 part lavender | Deep blue-toned purple |
As more navy blue is blended in, the purple grows richer while taking on a more pronounced blue cast. For shadowy tones, use at least half navy blue. To retain a distinctly purple identity, limit navy to 30% or less when mixing with lavender.
Deep Eggplant Hues with Brown
Blending lavender with rich chocolate or coffee brown is another less expected but very sophisticated way to darken it. Brown adds a natural earthiness that grounds the whimsical light purple. Resulting tones range from pale mocha purple to dramatic deep eggplant. Adjust the ratio based on the desired effect.
The earthy quality of brown helps tone down the brightness of lavender in a more subtle way. Start with small amounts of brown mixed in for a soft dusty purple, increasing the proportion to dial up the drama. At higher ratios with lavender taking more of a supporting role, the mix becomes more of a browned plum or eggplant shade.
| Amount of Brown Added | Resulting Color |
|---|---|
| Few drops | Muted lavender with beige undertone |
| 1 part brown to 4 parts lavender | Lavender with taupe quality |
| 1 part brown to 2 parts lavender | Dusky purple |
| Equal parts brown and lavender | Deep eggplant purple |
Brown is ideal for creating a vintage, timeworn effect. Equal amounts of chocolate brown and lavender produce a rich antique eggplant shade. Limit brown to 25% or less if wanting to maintain a distinctly light purple identity.
Deep jewel tones with Eggplant and Plum
Two colors that are fantastic for transforming light lavender into deep, jewel-like hues are eggplant and plum. As darker purple shades, adding them in will organically shift lavender down the saturation scale into richer territory. The resulting tones are sensual and exotic while still retaining that recognizable lavender DNA.
Eggplant is essentially a deep, darkened purple with blue undertones. Mixing it with lighter lavender creates a gorgeous royal purple shade. The blue undertones help keep the mix feeling energetic.
Plum is a vintage purple hybrid with strong red undertones. It adds vibrancy and warmth to the lavender base. Resulting tones may read more as a reddish purple than straight up lavender depending on the ratio used.
| Amount Added | Eggplant Mixture | Plum Mixture |
|---|---|---|
| Few drops | Deeper lavender | Lavender with a hint of red |
| 1 part eggplant/plum to 3 parts lavender | Dark royal purple | Reddish lavender purple |
| 1 part eggplant/plum to 1 part lavender | Rich jewel purple | Fuschia purple |
Both eggplant and plum infuse lavender with intensity and depth. Use a lighter hand to simply deepen the original lavender, or be bold with the ratios to create dramatic reddish purples and deep blue-based purples.
Darkening Strategies for Different Mediums
Now that we’ve covered color options for darkening lavender, let’s look at application strategies for specific projects:
Paint:
– Start with a premixed lavender shade and add small amounts of the darkening color until desired hue is reached
– Mix on a palette first before applying to surface
– Test on swatches or scrap materials to perfect the tone
– Adjust color mixing ratios as needed
– Allow time for paint to dry fully to determine if additional dark color should be added
Dye:
– Use pre-dyed lavender fabric or garment
– Make dye bath by dissolving dye (like RIT) in very hot water
– For richer purple, use navy, eggplant, plum, or black dye
– For muted purple, use a brown or grey dye
– Add garment and stir gently to mix colors
– Check color and leave garment in longer if a darker tone is needed
– Rinse with cold water until water runs clear
Frosting:
– Start with premade lavender frosting
– Add drops of gel food coloring like navy, eggplant, plum, brown, black, or grey
– Fold in carefully until even color distribution
– Taste and add more food coloring if deeper color is needed
– Store in airtight container if not using immediately
Cosmetics:
– Look for lavender eyeshadow, blush, or lipstick with a grey, brown, or black undertone to naturally deepen the shade
– Layer on top of original lavender shade and blend together to create a custom darker color
– Use a wet brush with powder products to intensify application
– Finish with translucent setting powder to reduce color transfer
Choosing the Right Undertones
One important consideration when darkening lavender is undertone. The specific colors used will impart different undertones to the resulting deeper purple shade.
– Black adds grey and muted undertones
– Navy infuses a strong blue cast
– Eggplant also enhances blue undertones
– Plum boosts red and fuschia tones
– Brown creates an earthy, natural vibe
Think about the look you are going for and let that guide which color to use when darkening original light lavender. A vintage or romantic look pairs well with plum or brown influenced purples. Navy and eggplant shift the tone to a more bold, dynamic energy. Black makes lavender feel more mystical and restrained.
Lighting Effects on Darkened Lavender
It’s important to note that lavender will look different in various lighting conditions, especially after being mixed with darker colors. The undertones present may be emphasized in some environments.
– Natural daylight will showcase truer color
– Warm incandescent light enhances red/brown undertones
– Cool fluorescent light boosts blue undertones
– Soft candlelight or lamps diffuse and mute tone
– Dark rooms intensify the depth and saturation
View your deepened lavender color in the planned lighting conditions to ensure you are happy with the real world results. Lavender is a chameleon shade that transforms based on its surrounding and lighting context. This ability can be used intentionally to make decor or designs feel different in daytime vs nighttime environments.
Conclusion
Light airy lavender can be rendered richer, darker and more luxurious by strategically blending in shades of black, navy, eggplant, plum or brown. The resulting deeper lavender tones retain that quintessential purple identity but with a bolder, more mysterious aura. Consider the look you want to achieve and lighting environment when selecting an approach. With the right color combinations and ratios, light summery lavender can become a deepest autumn jewel.
