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For many people who has spent years renting, 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 disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold 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 feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed 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 aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury