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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning 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 a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural 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 clarifies.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

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 sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems 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 communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury