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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral 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 symbolize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-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 work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo 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 spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade 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 colour to showcase 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 seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding 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 presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury