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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by 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 personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury