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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

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

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic 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 "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated 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 during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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