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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, 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 work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters 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 surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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 "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury