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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as 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 characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

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

Others argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly 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 become a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing 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 seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement 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 explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury