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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within current societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral 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 symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

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

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues 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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems 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 Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping 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 seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "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 concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury