🔗 Share this article

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

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It represents the first time a pure 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 embodies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease during ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel 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 "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into 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 more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate 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 absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury