🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort during current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard 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 stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" 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 incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury