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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order 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 notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

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

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury