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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance white has been picked 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 state of being" and signifies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways 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.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury