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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," 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 believes white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping 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 "elegant choice" and while it may seem 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 living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury