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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight 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 seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details 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 statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury