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

This time around, the renowned color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic 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.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple 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 elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury