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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

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

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding 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 heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" 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 introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury