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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury