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

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease amid current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," 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, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast 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, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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