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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined 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 "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express 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, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury