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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It represents 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 philosophy" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers argue that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-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 architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds 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 disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional 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 "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

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

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury