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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

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

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express 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 seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate 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 "fundamentally 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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