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For many people who has spent years 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.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-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 rarely create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire 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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury