Pantone just recently released their Color of the Year 2026, Cloud Dancer, and designers are going all crazy in the comment sections in social media.
“White?!! That’s not a color!”
Yes, it’s white. Some are calling it “Landlord White”.
Not only interior designers, but many other professionals in creative fields as well as consumers that love color and are interested in these yearly color forecasts are voicing their negative opinions.
Pantone even made a statement in response, defending their choice.
I shared some of the paint company’s colors of the year recently. These colors are popular now in retail, in designer’s interiors and were definitely seen at High Point Market in recent shows.
My Pick For COTY, if they had asked….
I was looking forward to something more bold and forward thinking too. Honestly, I thought it might be a burgandy or merlot color. That is another shade seems to be coming on strong, likely spurred on by the popularity of the marble, Calacatta Viola, these days. It’s fast becoming the “Taj Mahal” of the internet, minus the durability of quartzite, of course.
The nice thing about a rich burgandy or merlot color is that it can be warm or cool and adds a richness. It feels more unexpected today. Although I’m not a red person, I could handle a client that wanted this color reflected in their interiors.
I don’t think Pantone’s COTY, Cloud Dancer, is going to have much of an impact on interior design in 2026. I think we will continue to head into the warm, moodier color schemes for the next few years, at least.
Don’t get too hung up on all these color trends though, they will soon be changing. :-)
Go with what you love and you won’t go wrong. There is always a way to make any color feel fresh and up-to-date.
2026 Design Trend
Want to know what other design trend is for sure coming on strong now, especially evident since Kendall Jenner’s home, recently published in Architectural Digest, set the internet on fire? It’s the trend I talked about seeing at High Point this fall.
I’m here today to share an emerging design trend I noticed at HPMKT. This one has been around for a bit, but it seemed to be coming on strong this season.