🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others propose that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury