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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 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 annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom 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 "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

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

The vice president 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 adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels 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 ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury