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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

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

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster 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 wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express 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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 familiar with bold shades.

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

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury