{"id":229345,"date":"2025-12-05T12:59:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T17:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/?p=229345"},"modified":"2025-12-05T12:59:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T17:59:32","slug":"cloud-dancer-named-pantones-2026-color-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/design\/cloud-dancer-named-pantones-2026-color-of-the-year","title":{"rendered":"‘Cloud Dancer’ Named Pantone\u2019s 2026 Color of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Pantone's<\/a>
Photo Credit: Pantone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pantone\u2019s choice for the Color of the Year for 2026 is Cloud Dance<\/a>r, a billowy white, with blank-canvas vibes, intended to be a foundation for fresh starts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity,\u201d says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud Dancer is inspired by the inner strength required to stand still in a frenetic, high-tech world. Pantone acknowledges the growing role of AI and the pervasiveness of digital living in our daily lives, creating a need for space for consumers to stop and think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, says that Cloud Dancer \u201cexemplifies our search for balance between our digital future and our primal need for human connection.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This color will be of particular interest to new-build homeowners because it\u2019s all about starting anew, a shade that closely aligns with the optimism and potential that comes with being the first owner of a home. It\u2019s meant to let the imagination wander – above the clouds – as the color name suggests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough white is no longer the standard stand-alone, it is a great tonal complement to a vast array of energizing colors and will always be viewed as a perfect grounding element,\u201d says Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets<\/a>. She adds that Cloud Dancer\u2019s apricot undertones supply warmth, a common design objective in new homes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Pantone\u2019s Color of the Year Choices are Important<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Homeowners may know the Paint Color of the Year selections from major paint brands,<\/a> which use similar trend forecasting methods as Pantone, but Pantone\u2019s influence is far broader.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pantone\u2019s annual color pick is always a significant moment, shaping look-ahead trends in interior design and numerous other industries, including fashion, automotive, and retail goods. It\u2019s deeply researched and reflects how consumers feel, and how they want to feel, in the year ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since debuting in 1999, Pantone\u2019s Color of the Year has consistently done one of two things: an about-face on previous trends or adds a layer for current trends to evolve. There is no middle ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud Dancer represents the latter, building off a progression of colors dating back to 2023, including last year\u2019s sultry Mocha Mousse<\/a>. Together, these colors encourage consumers to live simply and savor the moment. \u201cIf 2025 and Mocha Mousse were about grounding and warmth, 2026, Cloud Dancer feels like a deep breath. It\u2019s refreshing, about clarity and reset,\u201d says Meghan Howell, North American design and creative director at Formica Corporation<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud Dancer Inspiration<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pantone offers room-by-room suggestions for Cloud Dancer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n