🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative 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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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 communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury