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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease during continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

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

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

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details 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 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 about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, 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 narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations 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 Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury