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An interior design expert has revealed the colours home style lovers should leave in 2025 – and how to style the one unexpected shade that is set to be the hottest thing in 2026.
Luxury interior designer Jo Hamilton, from London, said cool greys, blue-based whites, sugary pastels and pops of primary colours are on the way out while ‘softer, calmer and more ‘textural’ hues, like clean whites, are on the up.
To make way for the rise of soft whites, Jo recommended ditching some colours that risk making your space look dated.
‘Nothing is truly ‘wrong’, but a few things are losing steam. I’m thinking of cool greys because they flatten a room and don’t sit well with today’s warmer, more organic materials,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘Very stark, blue-based whites which feel clinical and don’t sit comfortably with current natural materials’
‘Also sugary pastels that don’t carry enough depth; and the big one, high-contrast ‘pops’ of primary colour that feel gimmicky rather than considered.’
To further elevate your space, Jo recommended steering away from cringey home features like matching furniture sets.
‘I’m not a fan of matchy-matchy sets, where you buy everything from one range. Nothing ages a room faster,’ she said.
‘And I don’t enjoy excessively themed rooms where everything feels staged rather than lived in, nor over-styling.
‘Homes aren’t show homes — they’re lived-in spaces. They need soul, which is often where much of their beauty comes from.’
On Thursday, Pantone announced its much-anticipated Colour of the Year for 2026 is the milky white hue ‘Cloud Dancer’ or Pantone 17-1230, sparking mixed reactions.
Some critics online were baffled by the choice, dubbing it ‘boring’ and ‘clinical’, and shared their surprise that a bolder colour wasn’t crowned the winner.
‘Well, not going to lie. I was looking forward to a bright [year] this year!’ one commenter said.
‘Is the colour in the room with us?’ another asked, and a third typed: ‘The Colour of the YEAR is… no colour??’.
However, others praised the pick, saying it’s the perfect symbol of ‘new beginnings’ ‘healing’, and ‘peace’.
‘In perfect timing with the new moon and the ending of a nine-year supermoon cycle. The colour is a perfect choice for new beginnings,’ one Instagrammer pointed out.
‘In such a fast-paced world, we needed a colour that conveyed lightness, pause and rest!’ a second agreed.
Jo is also excited by the Pantone 2026 winner, saying the vanilla-esque shade represents ‘stillness and clarity’.
‘It’s not a bright, clinical white – it has a soft chalkiness to it,’ she said.
‘It feels calm and grounded, which is exactly what most people want from their homes at the moment.
‘Design has become less about showmanship and more about creating spaces that exhale a little, and Cloud Dancer is perfect for that.’
The good news for money-minded interior trend lovers is that, according to Jo, white is ‘one of the easiest colours to use affordably’.
‘As long as you avoid the ‘flat rental white’ trap,’ she added.
Jo said the secret to styling with Cloud Dancer will be texture ‘but in a refined, architectural sense rather than decorative clutter’.
‘Think in terms of natural, elevated materials such as linen in its raw, open weave; textured or limewashed walls; hand-thrown, chalky ceramics; carved or honed stone; beautifully grained timber in pale, honeyed tones,’ she continued.
Jo’s six Cloud Dancer-inspired home picks
‘These are the pieces that give Cloud Dancer its depth and sophistication.’
Jo also suggested mixing whites, explaining that when the hues ‘shift in tone’, your space will become ‘far more nuanced’.
‘Warm linen next to limewash next to pale timber. That variation creates atmosphere and interest without ever feeling busy,’ she said.
Upcycling is another way to embrace white, especially if you’re on a budget.
‘Most people have something that would lend itself comfortably to Cloud Dancer — a timber stool, a mirror frame, a classic lamp base — these sorts of things,’ Jo said.
‘Refinished in a soft matte white or limewash, they become elegant, understated anchors in a room.’
Jo also said those with tight purse strings can ‘focus on three well-chosen, materially interesting pieces’ instead of an array of cheaper accessories.
‘A beautiful linen throw, a single handcrafted ceramic, or a small piece of stoneware will always elevate a space more than multiple decorative items with no weight to them,’ she said.
‘Even in my highest-budget schemes, I rely on layering natural textures. Texture is the great equaliser — it brings warmth, subtlety and soul, regardless of what you spend.’
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