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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort within ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds 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 famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

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

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm 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 vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

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

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it 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, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury