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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback 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 background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces 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 adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury