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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected a shade of white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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