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Is Pantone trolling us?! The long-awaited colour of the year for 2026 is out and it can only be described as absence of colour

Is Pantone trolling us?! The long-awaited colour of the year for 2026 is out and it can only be described as absence of colour

by | Dec 4, 2025 | Design Inspiration

It’s that time of the year again – no, I’m not talking about Christmas or the end of the year. It’s the time when Pantone releases its long-awaited and much-anticipated colour of the year. Today, Pantone just revealed Cloud Dancer as its colour of the year 2026 – and it’s likely their most controversial yet!

The colour institute is seen as the authority and leader in the world of colour, defining the biggest colour trends. Out of all the colours of the year (also known as COTYs), this is arguably the most important one. So, for the most important, year-defining colour to be, well, the absence of colour is shocking. Yes, Pantone’s chosen colour for 2026 is – drumroll, please – white.

That’s why I’m wondering (or perhaps hoping) whether this is all just a big prank. Are we being trolled by Pantone?!

Pantone Cloud Dancer swatch

(Image credit: Pantone)

The colour of the year is not just about what colour we paint our walls. I’m all for white walls – after all, there couldn’t be a more versatile and timeless choice than the best white paint. Pantone’s colour of the year is about more than that though – it sets the tone and mood for the year ahead far beyond just walls.

When the soothing brown Mocha Mousse was introduced as the Pantone COTY for 2025, it signalled a more calming, cosy and grounding way to decorate our homes, capturing exactly what everybody was after. Meanwhile, a white COTY feels very clinical and stripped of character. Are the days of cosy, cocooning interiors and bold dopamine decorating over?

And I’m not the only one that’s disappointed by Cloud Dancer being crowned the new COTY. Going through the comments section announcing the colour on Instagram, it’s filled with the likes of, ‘I hope you’re ready… For nothing!’, ‘You kidding me?’, ‘So… white? Really?’ and more comments with similar sentiment.

A graphic for the Pantone colour of the year 2026, Cloud Dancer with a room dressed in a fluffy white carpet, furry white chairs and light white curtains

(Image credit: Pantone)

Why is Cloud Dancer Pantone’s COTY 2026?

In all fairness to Pantone, there seems to be a real disconnect between what the colour institute’s intentions were when naming Cloud Dancer as the COTY 2026 and how it’s been perceived by most people.

According to Pantone, this choice ‘serves as a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection.’ Themes of a blank canvas, a fresh start and a colour set to give us the space to think, breathe and create.

‘At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discrete white hue offering a promise of clarity,’ says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at Pantone Color Institute.

‘The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences.’

A white flower in the shade of Pantone's colour of the year 2026, Cloud Dancer

(Image credit: Pantone)

Uriel Tannen, Flitch co-founder, also isn’t opposed to Pantone’s choice of its 2026 COTY and believes it’s a versatile shade that works particularly well in UK homes, ‘Cloud Dancer is a versatile off-white with a soft mineral undertone, well-suited to UK homes where light is often cool and changeable.’

‘Its gentle warmth still shows through on grey days, yet it remains crisp enough not to slip into cream, avoiding the flat or bluish cast some whites develop. The result is a refined, consistent brightness that works across a range of spaces.’

How to use the COTY in your home

Even though I’m not the biggest fan of white as the colour of the year, white decor and home accessories are the building blocks of pretty much any home. When decorating with white, the key is opting for varied textures.

I’m by no means contesting that this is a shade that will work in many different rooms, spaces and homes. I guess I just expected more from a colour powerhouse like Pantone – and I’m left wanting more. Is it just me? Are you with me or do you disagree?

I’m calling it, Stacey Solomon’s Christmas doorscape is the best of the season – her humongous XL bow makes it a showstopper

I’m calling it, Stacey Solomon’s Christmas doorscape is the best of the season – her humongous XL bow makes it a showstopper

by | Dec 4, 2025 | Design Inspiration

Queen of Christmas, Stacey Solomon, has unveiled her highly anticipated Christmas doorscape on Instagram, and complete with a humongous red bow, it’s a real showstopper.

Over the years, Stacey Solomon’s Christmas decor has been a source of inspiration for the Ideal Home team. Nailing the biggest Christmas trends every year, this year has been no different, as Stacey took on one of her most ambitious projects yet.

She has created a giant red bow, crafted from foam and chicken wire, framing her front door. The result is stunning. If you’re feeling as inspired as we are, read on, as I’ve asked interior design experts how you can get the look, too.

After seeing Stacey’s iconic living pumpkin doorscape back in September, I’ve been waiting in anticipation to see what she did for Christmas. And it was worth the wait.

While the XL bow is front and centre, it is beautifully framed with twinkling lights, foliage from Stacey’s garden and beautiful red flowers. The traditional colourways of red and green give it both an elegant and festive look, while the statement adds a bold, playful touch to the design.

Dining room decorated in blue and pale green with ribbons of paper chains, circular table surrounded by stools and chairs on a multicoloured rug. Green door wrapped with red ribbon. A circus themed Christmas decoration scheme.

XL bows can work beautifully inside the home, too.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Bevan)

‘Stacey Solomon’s festive doorscape brings the perfect dose of Christmas magic, offering an instant wow factor as you walk by,’ says commented James Mellan-Matulewicz, CEO and Creative Director of Bobbi Beck. ‘It feels comforting and inviting, with a look that blends classic charm and a modern finish, like a storybook cottage decorated beautifully for Christmas. The deep red ribbon is especially on trend this year and acts as a signature touch for a luxurious festive style, creating a sense of whimsy and charm without feeling garish.’

‘The layering of pine cones, red berries and foliage has been done beautifully, allowing the bold red ribbon to tie everything together. Warm golden lights enhance the atmosphere further, giving the doorway a soft, gentle glow that fits seamlessly with the cosy interior trends we’re seeing this winter.’

How to get the look

With trends such as the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic as well as the Après Ski look everywhere this year, we’re all seeking to create cosy, yet luxurious decor this festive season. Stacey’s version nails the timeless luxe look, while the giant bow demonstrates how maximalism can work beautifully within this decor style, too. Plus, it’s relatively easy to recreate.

A bedroom with a lit-up Christmas tree decorated with a large off-white bow

We’re seeing XL bows everywhere this year.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Mark Scott)

‘Stacey’s doorscape is extremely DIY friendly, so with some effort and creativity, it can easily be achieved in your own entranceway. Even just adding an extra-large bow to the entrance of your home will provide the fun and playful wrapped present effect seen in Stacey’s doorscape. The bow can be created using chicken wire, foam and fabric, making it an affordable and creative DIY,’ explains Ethan Fox, interior design expert from Furniture World.

‘Furthermore, adding greenery to the entrance of your home will go a long way in achieving this look. Take greenery from your garden by cutting branches from trees or bushes and arranging them around your doorframe. Similarly, faux garlands and red roses will work just as well to achieve the same effect. Adding fairy lights is the perfect finishing touch to create a magical, warm glow for a welcoming entrance to your home.’

Shop the look

If you’re feeling inspired, I’ve rounded up a few decorations that encapsulate Stacey’s doorscape.

I’m super impressed with Stacey Solomon’s XL bow doorscape. It’s dramatic yet surprisingly chic. What do you think?

I’m a sleep expert who hates getting into a cold bed – this 2p per hour winter warmer is my saviour at this time of year

I’m a sleep expert who hates getting into a cold bed – this 2p per hour winter warmer is my saviour at this time of year

by | Dec 4, 2025 | Design Inspiration

It’s December, and that means cold winter weather, and my pet peeve about this time of year: getting into a cold bed at night.

Now, as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’m lucky enough to have one of the best duvets on the market on my bed, so I’m always lovely and cosy once I’m *in* bed, but there’s still that first few minutes of getting into a bed with cold sheets to contend with.

A bedroom with a bed in front of a large sash window. The bed has white and orange pillows and a white duvet cover

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

Ever since I tested it for our guide to the best electric blankets, the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket has been my go-to for particularly cold nights. And the good news is it only costs a few pence an hour to run.

During the past four years of testing where to buy bedding, I have learned some hacks to help combat those initial bedtime shivers – swapping my summer cotton bedding for a snuggly brushed cotton fitted sheet and adding the best linen bedding to my bed is now my go-to October through March – but still, there are some nights even that doesn’t do the trick.

The exact figures for how much it costs to run an electric blanket will depend on your energy rates, but last time I totted up how much this heated blanket cost me, it was less than 2p per hour. To my mind, that’s a small price to pay to combat the dread of climbing into an icy, cold bed this winter.

Now, if you’re looking for an electric blanket to use on your bed for a good few months of winter, I still definitely recommend the Dreamland Snowed In Dual-Control Mattress Protector. It’s by *far* the best electric blanket I’ve tested, and has retained its crown as my #1 recommendation in our guide for the past two years.

The only problem (other than the Dreamland electric blankets’ £140 price tag) is that I’m an awkward customer.

A white bedroom with panelled walls and white bedding

(Image credit: James French)

Despite the fact that I hate that cold chill on the sheets in winter, I’m also a hot sleeper, and being peri-menopausal definitely doesn’t help. That means that once I get warm in bed, I’m likely to keep getting warmer and warmer, and then overheat if I have an electric blanket on the bed all night.

And I’ve found that even if the heated blanket comes with a timer that I can programme to shut off after half an hour so (like the Dreamland Snowed In Dual-Control Mattress Protector does), the fact that every electric blanket I’ve tested hides the electrical wires in polyester wadding means I can still overheat.

I sleep on a mattress filled with natural, breathable materials (the Hypnos Pillow Top Select mattress), have a wool-filled duvet on my bed for its fantastic breathability (the Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Duvet), and use bedding made from cotton or linen rather than synthetic fibres, all in a bid to prevent the overheating that happens the minute I add the hidden sleep thief that is polyester to my bed.

A bed with coral pink bedding and a coral pink storage unit next to it

(Image credit: TIM YOUNG)

Call me high-maintenance, but I’ve found adding an electric blanket under my fitted sheet during the winter disrupts all that hard work (and investment – natural fibres aren’t cheap) that I’ve put into creating a breathable bed that offers my body good temperature regulation and a better night’s sleep.

For me, the solution has been to slip this budget-friendly Silentnight electric blanket between my duvet cover and fitted sheet for twenty minutes or so before I get into bed on a cold night. I then slide it out before I get into bed.

The bonus is that it also means I don’t have to have messy cables protruding from my bed day in and day out over the winter. And although this budget electric blanket doesn’t have a timer, if you don’t fancy making the trip upstairs to turn the blanket on 20 minutes before bed, I tend to pop it into the bed earlier in the evening and then use a smart plug that I can turn on or off via my phone whilst I’m sitting downstairs on the sofa. Any of these smart plugs from Amazon will do the trick.

Plus, did I mention this little bit of winter kindness costs less than 2p for the time I have it on the bed? I think that’s an investment that’s well worth making to make the cold winter weather a little more bearable.

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Aldi’s £49.99 espresso machine is back – it’s £10 cheaper than last year and features a touch control panel as well as a milk frother

Aldi’s £49.99 espresso machine is back – it’s £10 cheaper than last year and features a touch control panel as well as a milk frother

by | Dec 4, 2025 | Design Inspiration

It’s the most wonderful time of the year indeed, when Aldi‘s range of Specialbuys can double up as the perfect Christmas gift as well as being a total bargain.

I personally think there’s no better choice from the supermarket’s limited edition range than the new Espresso Maker for the coffee-lover in your life which will set you back just £49.99 and is available from this Sunday the 7th of December in stores.

This compact espresso machine might be hundreds of pounds cheaper than top-rated alternatives like the Sage Bambino but what can it offer in terms of features?

Well it’s kitted out with what Aldi call ‘touch panel control’, single and double shot options, hot water and steam functionality and a built-in milk frother wand. The drip tray under the wand and the portafilter can be removed for you to clean.

Black espresso machine

Our Editor Rebecca Knight got a sneak peek of this machine earlier in the year.

(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)

There have been so many coffee machine launches this year, including popular machines like the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Series and even the under £100 Salter Professional Espirista Coffee Machine – both of which we’ve reviewed here at Ideal Home. This version from Aldi is by far the cheapest one I’ve seen, though I can’t speak to the quality of this particular Specialbuy.

As with all of Aldi’s one-off kitchen appliances, like the brand’s under £25 hot chocolate makers, which are also back this week, this espresso machine is very much a limited edition buy, so make sure to be in store on the 7th of December if you want to grab one.

If you don’t manage to swoop at the right moment, there are plenty of other quality bean-to-cup coffee machines in our guide, all of which I’ve tried and loved as Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor. Below you’ll find my favourite pick (and it’s under £150).

Are you picking up a coffee machine as a gift this Christmas?

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