🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

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

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury