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

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

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

A representative 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, 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 seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional 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 "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury