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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, 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 disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been chosen 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 embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

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

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, 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 rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Beginning 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 calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, 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 "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If 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 uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury