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

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

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

The designer cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" 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 repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

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 vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways 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 poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury