🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others contend that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings 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 symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining 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 apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury