🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years 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 direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 fashion, 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 "not focused on newness 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 concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury