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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read 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 seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury