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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president 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 sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed 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 feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels 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 carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury