For the first time in its 27-year history, Pantone has named a white as its Colour of the Year. The shade, Cloud Dancer, is a soft, chalky white described as a “billowy, balanced white” that is designed to sit quietly alongside the warmer, more expressive colours and materials dominating interiors today, including timber, stone, metals and earthy hues.
Rather than demanding attention, Cloud Dancer works as a subtle counterpoint, offering calm and balance while allowing richer colours, textures and finishes to take centre stage.
The nuanced white represents quiet reflection and restraint, with an ability to harmonise with bold palettes or provide contrast where depth and warmth are required. It is the colour that allows everything else to shine.
Wattyl has developed a curated palette of Cloud Dancer-inspired whites tailored to Australian homes. Designed to complement both earthy neutrals and lighter summer pastels, the palette offers versatility and subtle variation, providing a refined backdrop for interiors where materials and texture play a leading role.
In spaces embracing natural elements such as leather, timber and jute, shades like Wattyl Moody White create a serene, understated canvas. Applied to walls and ceilings, it enhances the tactile richness of darker timbers and upholstered furniture without competing for attention.
The flexibility of these whites is further demonstrated through Wattyl Whiteweave, which brings calm to layered interiors rich with colour, pattern and artwork. Even in visually busy spaces, this gentle white creates cohesion, ensuring each design element feels intentional and uncluttered.
Elsewhere, Wattyl Purest White introduces warmth and softness when paired with blond timber cabinetry and terracotta accents. The result is an atmosphere of quiet contemplation, where artworks, ceramics and furnishings are elevated without disrupting the overall sense of calm. As interiors continue to favour warmth, texture and personality, this refined white proves that sometimes the most powerful design statements are the quietest ones.
