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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style 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 "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

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

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant 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 "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws 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 "it is universally accepted 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 "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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 Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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