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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, 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 "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset 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 continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury