🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has designated white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "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 "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary 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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

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

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury