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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by 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 direct affront.

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

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

It represents the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones 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 represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative 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 refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces 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 presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

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