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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 direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within current societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

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

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

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional 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 serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

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

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

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