🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's 2026 Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

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

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness 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 form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury