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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Others argue that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

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 feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance 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 appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision 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 elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional 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 not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If 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 problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury