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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning 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 premier hue.

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

It signifies the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He explains 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 goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, 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 real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury