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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It represents the first time 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 state of being" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

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

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", 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 architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury