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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

The critic hopes 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 stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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 a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback 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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement 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 championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds presumptions 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 divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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