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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

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

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal 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 neutrality equals goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury