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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Others contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, 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 soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting 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 apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury