When Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2026 as a soft, tranquil white, my immediate reaction was one of quiet joy. Cloud Dancer is a gentle white that captures a sense of calm, clarity and understated luxury. And one of the easiest and most expressive ways to channel this shade at home is through floral styling.
I see this as a chance to rethink white flowers not as a single, boring note, but as a meaningful and refined palette, that you can explore in different shapes, forms and textures to echo the tone’s airy softness and calming mood.
Working as a professional floral designer for almost a decade, I would often hear colleagues sigh when clients asked for an ‘all white’ scheme. But for me, white flowers are an opportunity to express simple elegance. To inspire you, I’ve curated a list of seven cut flowers that I believe perfectly reflect the sentiments of Cloud Dancer, complete with my expert tips on how to care for them in your home.
What kind of white is Cloud Dancer?
Unlike a stark, brilliant white, Cloud Dancer has a diffused, velvety quality, like the inside of a seashell, making it simple to layer into interiors and decorate with white without feeling cold or clinical.
It reflects the ongoing shift toward serene, sanctuary-like spaces, where neutral palettes feel cocooning rather than pared back.
As Homes & Gardens’ Head of Interiors, Hebe Hatton, explains: ‘Despite being an unexpected choice among all its bolder predecessors, Cloud Dancer is uncomplicated – it’s easy to take in. It feels like a reset.’
Here is my edit of cut flowers that perfectly encapsulate the Cloud Dancer mood.
1. Scabious
Scabiosa, or pin cushion flower, grow on long, curvaceous stems and often dance atop of other flowers in an arrangement.
I love them for their movement, and minute details in their flower heads.
Before arranging with them, strip lower leaves and any buds. You can keep these to create a smaller bud vase design. Place in deep, clean water as the stems can be thirsty.
Keep them cool and out of direct sun to avoid the delicate petals wilting in the heat, and as with all these stems, refresh water frequently.
2. Calla lily
Calla lilies are modern, sculptural flowers which have high impact when arranged en masse in a vase.
When arranging, trim stems at an angle and avoid piercing or splitting them, as this will shorten the vase life. Always use a sharp, clean pair of floristry scissors, such as these from Amazon.
Also try to keep the water in your vase shallow. Calla stems are soft and hollow, and can turn mushy if submerged too deeply.
Change the water in your vase every two days to prevent any bacteria from building up in the water.
3. Orlaya
Orlaya, also known as lace flower, is the epitome of an ethereal, whimsical flower, and I utterly love it's shape and texture.
Condition these flowers by letting them drink in a bucket of in deep water for several hours before arranging. Orlaya is prone to drooping if not hydrated well.
Orlaya looks wonderful in gentle, natural arrangements that embrace wild movement and texture, rather than tight, compact designs.
Replace water regularly to keep the airy umbel heads fresh for longer.
4. Hellebores
A stunning winter flower, hellebores, make a beautiful yet unconventional cut flower for the home.
If you are picking from your own garden or a flower farm, by top tip is to always cut mature blooms. You will be able to identify them as they'll have visible seed pods forming. Younger stems are more prone to wilting and are harder to arrange.
You can also sear the stems by briefly dipping the ends in boiling water for 10 seconds before designing with them to extend their vase life.
Keep in a cool room if possible, as hellebores dislike heat once cut.
5. Allium 'Mount Everest'
I couldn't resist including the cloud-like forms of a 'Mount Everest' allium in this list.
Alliums last really well as a cut flower, but always remove any foliage before placing into water as this will yellow quickly.
Their fluffy globe forms look wonderful either on their own, or arranged with more ethereal umbels of ammi and orlaya.
The only downside to alliums is they carry an onion scent, which can be strong in small spaces, so place somewhere with good airflow and refresh the water regularly.
6. Peony
With it's round, fluffy form, could any other flower capture the essence of Cloud Dancer quite as well as a white peony?
Cut or buy stems that are still fairy tight in bud, to get the longest vase life possible from your flowers.
You can remove any outer guard petals if they’re browning; this also encourages the bloom to open. There are so many beautiful ways you can arrange with peonies for serene yet statement designs; these crowd pleasers do most of the hard work for you.
Warmth can accelerates opening dramatically, so keep them cool if you can to prolong their life.
7. Ornithogalum
Star of Bethlehem, or Ornithogalum ubmellatum, is well known for excellent longevity. I have had stems lasting up to a month indoors.
Each flower head is made up of many individual star-shaped white flowers, which symbolize hope and guidance.
Condition the long stems in deep, clean water for a few hours to allow blooms to open a little before arranging.
Though this flower opens very gradually, you can remove fading lower florets to keep the spike looking fresh.
Whether you choose to combine these blooms in a flower arrangement or select just one to arrange with en masse, I am in no doubt that any of these flowers will conjour immediate sentiments of a calming, serene sanctuary.
Shop vases to complement the Cloud Dancer vibe
A classic design that lends itself to large, sculptural arrangements. Don't be afraid to go big with your white stems if you opt for a vase like this.
I love this vessel because it's a neutral color with beautiful accent handles. It would work for all seasons, too.
This rustic urn-style vase would look stunning filled with whimsical and wild flowers tumbling up and out over the sides.
