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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

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

It represents the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, 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 extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard 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 "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury