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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-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 highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic 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 seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "When 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 problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury