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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by 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 direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been chosen 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 signifies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

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

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

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

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

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

Design expert Another professional 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury