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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been honored 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 state of being" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue 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 individuality.

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

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold 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 dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 "everyone likes it 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 arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

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.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury