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

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral 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 removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding 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 distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways 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 poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury