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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury