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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of 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 selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

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

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

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws 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 "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury