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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones 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 "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

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

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, 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 everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving 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 disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative 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, providing 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 featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if 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 pick 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it 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 body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury