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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms 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 cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury