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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It marks 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 embodies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," 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 intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president 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, providing a sophisticated impartiality 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 optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

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 vanilla ice cream, 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 poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury