Pantone Color of the Year: Cloud Dancer
Happy 2026! This year will bring a lot of joy, change, and freshness as all the new years do. Pantone chose a neutral and calm shade for this years Color of the Year, a slightly off white hue called Cloud Dancer. This is the second neutral color in a row, as last year’s was a taupe color called Mocha Mousse. Cloud Dancer was selected to mirror the ‘blank slate’ that we are craving as a collective, Pantone claims it quiets the mind and allows us to set intentions. Let’s look into some ways to incorporate this energy into your home in 2026.
Bright Kitchen Palette:
Cloud Dancer is almost completely void of color, but it does belong just slightly in the yellow/orange family. This means it pairs perfectly with warm natural wood colors. In the kitchen, this means if you have wooden cabinetry, Cloud Dancer will pair perfectly on the walls. You can also look for seating that features cloud dancer upholstery with wooden accents, the resulting look is fresh and clean for welcoming the new year. Placing Cloud Dancer opposite windows allows the color to reflect sunlight throughout the room.
Like Sleeping on a Cloud:
Of course Cloud Dancer gets its name from resembling soft clouds in the sky. The furniture and home store Joybird took advantage of this and curated a collection of furniture in the shade. You can find a beautiful sectional, a cozy loveseat, and even a gorgeous headboard in their pantone collection here: https://joybird.com/collaborations/pantone.
Powdered Pastels:
The curated palette that features Cloud Dancer from Pantone is called ‘Powdered Pastels’ and it adds Cloud Dancer to a group of rainbow pastel colors. The resulting room decor is reminiscent of something coastal, or spring-inspired. It’s the type of room that encourages you to take a long deep breath, but it’s still playful. Online users have also compared the palette to vintage candy packaging, like a pack of Necco wafers.
Soft & Cozy:
The textures associated with Cloud Dancer are soft velvet upholstery, cable knit blankets, and woven fabrics. A quick way to add bright touches of this calming colors is accent pillows in the living room or a throw blanket at the foot of your bed. The bright white color is gentler on the eye when it appears as a soft texture.
Ultimately the best way to use a trending color like Cloud Dancer is to use it however it calls you! Does it make you think of bright breakfast mornings? Then maybe it’s the perfect color for your espresso machine. Does it remind you of inspiring new beginnings? Then it might be the perfect shade for your office or studio. You know what to do, it’s time to hunt down the most inspiring photos on Pinterest and get to work incorporating Cloud Dancer into your home!
About the Author
By: Ericka Wadleigh
Exclusive for JulieCoRealty.com