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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been picked 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 state of being" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others contend that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous 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, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury