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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue 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 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 symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It marks 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 "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade 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 colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 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 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 different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury