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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, 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 seem like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

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

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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 structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury