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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at 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 direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express 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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury