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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Others propose that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury