First Lilac (DE5981)

First Lilac (DE5981) is a light, cool paint color from Dunn-Edwards (#E7D6ED, LRV 71.2). See how it shifts in different light, the colors it pairs with, and its closest matches in other brands.

First Lilac (DE5981) is a light, cool-toned paint color from Dunn-Edwards. It bounces plenty of light around a room, which keeps walls and trim feeling fresh and open. Below you'll see it in real rooms, the colors it pairs with, the finishes that suit it, and its closest matches in other brands — everything you need before you commit a wall to it.

The kind of light shade that makes a room feel considered rather than accidental — easy to live with, and hard to get wrong.

First Lilac at a glance

Brand: Dunn-Edwards
Color code: DE5981
Hex: #E7D6ED
RGB: 231, 214, 237
HSL: 284°, 39%, 88%
LRV (Light Reflectance Value): 71.2 — light
Undertone: cool undertone leaning blue-red
Color family: white, light, neutral, purple

How it behaves in light

First Lilac reflects a lot of light, so it tends to read clean and bright. In a north-facing room it can cool down and show its cool side; in afternoon sun it warms up and softens. The honest test is simple: paint a poster-board sample, move it to the wall you care about, and look at it in the morning, midday, and after dark. Undertones almost always show up more on a full wall than they do on a tiny chip.

Where it works

First Lilac is an easy color to build a home around. Let it carry the main living spaces and keep trim a step lighter in the same warm-or-cool family, so the room feels intentional rather than busy. It flows nicely from an entry through to bedrooms, and it gives deeper accent colors something calm to sit against in dining rooms, studies, and media spaces.

What to pair it with

For a little contrast — a front door, a single accent wall — reach for a color on the opposite side of the wheel. For a calm, flowing palette, stay with its close neighbors so rooms blend gently into one another. And the fastest way to plan trim, walls, and cabinets is to use lighter and deeper versions of First Lilac itself; that built-in range almost always reads as harmonious because it shares the same DNA.

How it compares across brands

No two paint lines mix a color quite the same way, so a "match" from another brand is rarely identical on the wall. We line up the closest options from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, and others and rank them by how close they actually look — not by similar-sounding names. If you're switching an existing palette over to Dunn-Edwards, that ranking is the shortcut: start from the closest match and sample from there.

Before you commit

Sample on two walls — Brush First Lilac on a wall that gets morning light and one that gets afternoon light before you order gallons. Color shifts more than a swatch ever suggests.
Get the trim right — Keep trim one or two steps lighter in the same warm-or-cool family. A stark blue-white only works if you actually want a crisp, gallery-clean look.
Match the finish to the room — Eggshell — light colors look best in eggshell — subtle sheen without glare.
Order it by code — Ask for DE5981 at the paint counter. Names drift between fan decks, but the code keeps your touch-ups matching for years.

First Lilac, answered

Is First Lilac warm or cool?

Cool. First Lilac carries a subtle cool base, which keeps it feeling crisp and clean, especially in a well-lit room.

What undertone does First Lilac have?

Purple undertone — adds subtle richness and depth. It can read cooler in low light and against warm fixtures — worth sampling on your own wall before you commit.

What is First Lilac's LRV?

71.2.

What trim goes with First Lilac walls?

First Lilac works well as its own trim, or paired a step lighter. Many people flip it — First Lilac on the trim with a deeper wall color.

Is First Lilac good for kitchen cabinets?

It can be — a cool color at this brightness reads soft rather than clinical on cabinetry, and pairs well with wood, brass, and stone. Sample it under your own cabinet lighting first.