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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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 living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding 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 poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed 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 ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury