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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It signifies the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

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, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural 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 explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast 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 serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional 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 "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury