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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been chosen 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 widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, 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".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly 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 evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining 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 basic 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 A styling expert 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, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury