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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

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

It represents the first time 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 state of being" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems 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 "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, 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 pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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 benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury