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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile 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".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

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

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic 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 "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "When 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 associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury