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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived 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 rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate 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 "essentially the absence of colour", 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, 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 fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When 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 associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury