🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease during continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom 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, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury