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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has selected white as its premier hue.

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous 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 chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness 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 hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, 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 "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details 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 poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury