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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, 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 work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism 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 extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"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 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, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling 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 poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury