Cloud Dancing into 2026: Pantone’s Colour of the Year Meets Timeless Stiles Tiles

Pantone upset colour prediction polls worldwide when they announced their Colour of the Year 2026 as the milky off-white shade Cloud Dancer. Coco Chanel would have been impressed. A staunch advocate of the simple tone, she once remarked that “White has it all. Its beauty is absolute.”

Widely criticised as a boring, non-committal and safe choice compared to the vibrant and daring shades of the last few years (Mocha Mousse in 2025, Peach Fuzz in 2024 and Viva Magenta in 2023) Cloud Dancer has a solid seal of approval from the team at Stiles. In short, it is a classic and timeless choice.

Described by Pantone as a “lofty white imbued with serenity,” the shade was chosen to represent a renewed appreciation for simplicity and the grounding comfort of stillness. When it comes to tiles and sanware, grounded simplicity is our love language.

Cloud Dancer invites us into a year of calm clarity.

Stiles tiles echo that spirit with surfaces that feel fresh, weightless and quietly refined. Think expansive whites, gentle stone tones and tactile finishes that create interiors as serene as the colour itself.

To bring the serenity of Cloud Dancer into real spaces, we’ve selected five Stiles tiles that embody the same softness, luminosity and quiet luxury. These surfaces mirror the gentle clarity of Pantone’s 2026 shade while offering durability, texture and timeless appeal.

1. Cortina Stone Avorio . This refined, ivory coloured tile has a natural stone look and a matt finish. It is part of a complete range designed for seamless, modern living. Available in both matt and slip-resistant finishes and large formats (1222 mm x 1222 mm ), plus a full indoor–outdoor coordinated range, it offers designers and homeowners the freedom to achieve harmonious, continuous surfaces throughout the home, with the durability and easy maintenance of porcelain.
2. Limestone White . This 10mm thick rectified tile has a light stone look and a matt finish. It brings the understated beauty of natural Apulian limestone into modern interiors. With its soft white hue, subtle vein-like movement and versatile finishes, it offers a bright, timeless backdrop that opens up spaces and pairs effortlessly with a range of design styles. Whether used indoors or outdoors, its porcelain construction ensures low maintenance and durability.
3. Etienne Tiles Highveld Pebble White . The Etienne Tiles Highveld Pebble White is part of Stiles’ exclusive in-house range, created in honour of founder Etienne Joubert and inspired by the sweeping landscapes of South Africa. In its generous 600×1200mm format, this tile offers a soft, natural-stone aesthetic with a gentle, lofty, cloud-like movement that echoes the calm elegance of Pantone’s Cloud Dancer. Designed for real-world versatility, it also includes a slip-resistant counterpart, making it ideal for wet areas, showers, patios and indoor–outdoor continuity. The coordinated finishes within the Etienne range allow for beautifully cohesive spaces, grounded in local identity yet refined enough for contemporary interiors.
4. Funky Tiles Home Brick Milk  This decorative subway tile brings tile brings a soft, warm, off-white tone to interiors, making it a perfect addition to the Cloud Dancer–inspired palette. Its gently textured, handcrafted aesthetic and glossy surface give it depth and character, while its versatile 60×250mm subway format makes it ideal for decorative applications such as kitchen splashbacks, bathroom walls, niches and feature areas. The Milk shade offers a creamy, understated brightness, the kind of off-white that feels lived-in, comforting and effortlessly stylish.
5. Funky Tiles Ava White  offers a serene, soft off-white tone. With its clean, minimalist aesthetic and subtle handcrafted texture, Ava brings gentle warmth to kitchens, bathrooms and feature walls. Available in both a gloss and mattfinish, in the versatile 60×246mm format, these tiles can be mixed within the same space to create depth, movement and visual interest while maintaining a cohesive look.

As a decorative wall tile, AVA is perfectly suited to splashbacks, showers, niches and accent areas, offering a modern yet timeless off-white surface that elevates any interior.

The final word on Cloud Dancer goes to textile and colour designer, Margrethe Odgaard, who disagrees that choosing white is conservative. “Cloud Dancer is far from a blank or industrial hue,” she shares, “it is a white that asks for awareness.”

“Beyond its visual appearance, white has long symbolised peace across cultures, from the white flag to rituals and ceremonies,” continues Odgaard. “On a personal note, I also like to read the choice of Cloud Dancer as a quiet emblem of hope in a world torn apart by conflict.”

Visit any of our Stiles stores to see how you can bring this shade into your home in 2026 or log on to www.stiles.co.za.