Designing for clarity
Every year, Pantone’s Colour of the Year gives designers and brands a moment to pause, reflect and think about where visual culture is heading next.
For 2026, that colour is PANTONE 11-4201, Cloud Dancer: a soft, airy white that, for the first time, marks a white hue as the standout choice in the programme’s history.
This isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about purpose
Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as a colour that opens up space for clarity, focus and calm in a noisy world. It’s a visual metaphor for simplification, calm and new beginnings.
At Courts, this concept aligns closely with how we think about visual strategy: simplicity isn’t simply aesthetic, it’s strategic.
Why Cloud Dancer matters
For designers and creatives, the Pantone Colour of the Year is more than a trend signal. It’s a reflection of broader cultural attitudes.
Cloud Dancer represents:
- A blank canvas mindset — inviting focus and creative freedom
- A desire for clarity over clutter
- Space to think before we design, not just decorate
In a world where we’re bombarded by information, colour like this is a reminder that less can mean more.
The strategic power of simple visuals
Effective design isn’t about complexity or spectacle. It’s about clarity of communication. When visuals are simple and purposeful, they'll:
- Help users understand information faster
- Reduce cognitive load
- Reinforce brand meaning rather than distract from it
- Create recognition and trust over time
That’s exactly why we’re excited about the direction we’re taking with our own brand refresh.
Courts’ brand evolution: simple, strategic & human
Our refreshed identity reflects the same principles - clarity, balance and thoughtful use of design. As we transition from our existing site to the new experience, we’ve focused on three core principles:
1. Clarity Through Colour
Instead of a palette that’s visually busy, our new visual language uses colour with intention. When every colour has a strategic role — whether to highlight, guide or reinforce meaning — it makes communication stronger and more coherent.
2. Space as strategy
Whitespace isn’t empty, it’s active. It’s what allows content to breathe and helps viewers focus on what matters most. In our refreshed design, space improves readability and strengthens storytelling, ensuring our expertise isn’t lost in noise.
3. Visuals That Support Narrative
We’ve streamlined our components - typography, layout, imagery - with two goals in mind:
- To make every touchpoint feel purposeful
- To make our beautiful client work shine
- To ensure visual clarity supports strategic impact, not decorative complexity
Design that works harder
Pantone’s Cloud Dancer signals a broader design moment: a growing appetite for simplicity that still feels rich, human and meaningful. In a world saturated with visuals, the brands that stand out are the ones confident enough to be intentional, not busy.
At Courts, we believe simple, effective visuals aren’t just beautiful, they generate value by strengthening clarity, connection and recognition.
Our rebrand isn’t about looking different for the sake of it. It’s about working smarter with visuals that genuinely communicate purpose, strategy and trust.
Simplicity isn’t an absence of ideas, it’s the most powerful way to show them.
Photo/Thumbnail Credit: Pantone
