Pantone named 'Cloud Dancer,' a shade of white, its Color of the Year for 2026 on Dec. 4, 2025. The company called it 'a billowy white imbued with serenity' and 'a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection.'
The market has already voted in a different direction. Many Gen Zers and millennials are moving toward bold colors, heavy texture and layered interiors, embracing what designers and trend forecasters call 'dopamine decor' and the 'gummy bear aesthetic.' Pinterest said in its 2026 forecast, 'In 2026, we’re going full-on gummy,' and reported searches for 'gummy bears aesthetic' up 50%.
Fortune spoke with two interior designers who also have backgrounds in mental health. Lori Miller, principal at LGC Interior Design, said most people gravitate toward blues or greens rather than white, and that more color, depth and contrast can be more calming than cool, crisp white spaces. Betsy Wentz, principal at Betsy Wentz Interior Design and author of 'Design Happy: Colorful Homes for the Modern Family,' said color can affect whether a room feels safe.
Wentz said, 'Color is information—your nervous system will scan a room asking: ‘Am I safe here?'' She added that white can feel serene or sterile depending on what it brings to mind. Miller said the 'gummy' style seems to keep people calm and give them motivation, calling it 'uplifting' and 'bright and cheery.'
The trend does not stop at home decor. Pinterest said Gen Z and Millennials are behind the 'ASMR overload,' including bendy phone cases, elastic cheek tints, probiotic treats, rubberized nail art and 3D jewelry. The company framed the look as a mix of sensory comfort and playful excess.
Miller linked the appeal to broader anxiety among younger Americans. She said Gen Z has been through COVID, 'complicated presidencies, upheavals in politics and financial things,' and that many people are trying to find something that feels calmer and less sharp.
Wentz said younger consumers are pushing back on 'years of beige algorithm homes' and a world that has felt 'very sharp and unpredictable.' In her view, the move toward rounded corners and saturated color reflects a desire for spaces that feel less threatening.
For companies that sell decor, home goods and lifestyle products, that is a useful signal. Capital rewards clear rules, and consumers are signaling that sterile minimalism is no longer the only premium aesthetic. If a room can sell comfort, it can sell margin too.
There is a broader lesson here for any market that mistakes restraint for demand. People are not always buying the most austere version of refinement. They are buying what feels livable, reassuring and worth paying for. In a season of anxiety, even paint and pillow covers become part of the search for order.
