On Dec. 4, 2025, Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2026: a shade of white called Cloud Dancer. It was the first time in the program’s history, which dates to 1999, that Pantone chose a white. The company described Cloud Dancer as “a billowy white imbued with serenity” and “a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection.”
It all sounds lovely. It’s also at odds with much of what has actually taken off in design, decor, and style this year.
