Pantone, the global color authority behind the system used across the design world, has named Cloud Dancer (11-4201 TCX) as Color of the Year 2026.
Is this a surprise or merely just another datapoint to highlight the demand for calm, clarity, and a softer visual break at home? The trend carries to white oak, white sinks, exterior materials, and furnishings of all kinds. We've been tracking the cues all season:
- National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA/KBIS) shared in its 2026 Reports for Kitchen and Bathroom Trends that 96% of designers expect neutral colors to dominate. The 2026 Kitchen Trends report notes that 47% designers specifically choose white. For Bath Trends, more than half of designers chose a shade definitively "off-white."
- Certainteed's recent Home Color Palette for the Year 2026 included Colonial White, a shade so similar to Pantone's pick that we know industry synergies are real.
- Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee radiates in the brand's Color Trends 2026 palette. It’s fresh, and pairs with anything it's up against.
Color experts filling our inbox describe Cloud Dancer as a pure, quiet white, and "the kind of color the world is craving right now."
"In design, white is never just white. It carries intention,” highlights Lauren Lerner, founder and principal designer of Living with Lolo. It brings a lighter look to rooms without leaning warm or cool. It sits in a space that feels open and uncomplicated.
“Cloud Dancer has a calming effect precisely because it is free from influence," shared James Mellan-Matulewicz, Creative Director at Bobbi Beck. "By offering white in its purest, most unfiltered state, it allows interiors to feel lighter, quieter and more intentional. With no hint of undertones, it encourages visual stillness and reduces the busyness that layered colours can create."
The shift toward soft, airy tones has been building. We noticed it during our trip to Italy last summer—the pale stone, the washed-out walls, the bright sun making everything feel a bit weightless. Cloud Dancer fits right into that moment.
As far as trends go, 2026 is shaping up to be a calm, clean year for color.
Look for Shades Like Cloud Dancer in These Home Collections:
Bobbi Beck Wallpaper
As a wall color, shades like Cloud Dancer let other structures, textiles, and architecture stand out. It's great for opening compact rooms because it helps light reflect in all directions. It pairs well with natural materials.
Castlery Home Furniture
From the Mori sofa in Performance Alpine to the Guin Round Coffee Table, the furniture brand notes that white is never "just white." "It's textured and emotional, steeped with functionality to make it livable and light," shared a representative.
Silestone Zoe TOP sink
The new stylish and minimalist sink from Cosentino is available in three colors and four design options, most notably in Blanco Zeus.
