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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been honored 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 mindset" and embodies a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point 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 "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile 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 "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed 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 showcase individuality.

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

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

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

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast 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, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury