🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, 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 selection this year was "fundamentally 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

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

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury