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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has selected 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 symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

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

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury