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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

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

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics propose that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

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

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer 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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury