🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers propose that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

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

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury