Blank or deaf canvas? Pantone’s white color of the year provokes negative reactions

For anyone who’s spent years renting, staring at the same homeowner-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of one day adding some real personality to their home, Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year may seem like a personal attack.

This year Pantone has chosen white as the color of the year.

More specifically, Cloud Dancer, a white described as “soaring” and “undulating” that “serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovery of the value of quiet reflection.”

It is the first time that white has been chosen as the color of the year and it has caught the attention of more than one.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer “isn’t just a color, it’s a way of thinking” and reflects a collective desire to slow down, reset, and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have called the decision “Pantonedeaf,” arguing that elevating pristine, minimalist white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, cluttered homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that positioning whiteness as aspirational risks having racial undertones, which is uncomfortable amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Designer Chris Beaumont says the reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white has cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

“White is a signal,” he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors (most notably Kim Kardashian’s minimalist home) that came to represent “richness, order and distance from chaos.”

He explains that white is “not about inspiration but about being careful not to offend,” and Cloud Dancer embodies “austerity, moral minimalism, and the idea that neutrality means virtue.”

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in the way people relate to their homes.

“Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors,” he says, adding that, in this context, pushing the color of the year into “a greater visual void seems quite tone-deaf.”

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying “a sense of desolation”, particularly when combined with cold, clinical lighting.

Lara Clark, a Surrey-based interior designer, agrees, saying that Cloud Dancer “doesn’t really read as a color” and “is firmly in the trash for me.”

While it can suit very minimalist or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

“What looks serene on a style shoot can easily come across as clinical at home,” she explains.

“White can seem stark and unforgiving and you don’t want your home to have hospital vibes.”

He adds that “homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this tone seems quite far from that.”

Beaumont hopes homeowners will reject the Pantone color of the year in favor of “large-scale dopamine decorating,” using color to express personality.

Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, told the BBC that people “bring different feelings” to the color’s meaning, but chose it because “it works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable.”

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone’s Color of the Year has become a powerful signal for the industry.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently, softer, more emotional shades like Peach Fuzz.

These colors don’t just live off trend forecasts: they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Style and trend expert Victoria Robinson says Cloud Dancer is a “beautiful choice” and while it may look simple, “this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark.”

Unlike those who say the color is boring, Robinson sees it as “adaptable” and says it is best used in “bedrooms and living rooms where a serene and relaxing atmosphere is desired.”

“Even if you don’t want to repaint, you can introduce color into a room with throw pillows, blankets, and curtains.”

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says that while he was surprised that Pantone’s choice this year was “essentially the absence of color,” it’s a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that “everyone likes it but it’s no one’s favorite.”

He can see its advantages and explains that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details such as paneling and arched doorways, which is a “growing trend in modern homes”.

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement, and as color of the year, it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold hues.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white is “less about novelty and more about intention,” reflecting a shift toward refinement after years of trend overload.

“White forces both designers and users to focus on form, proportion and quality; there’s really nowhere to hide,” he explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions about body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: “When white people are treated as something that only a small group of people can achieve, it becomes exclusionary.”

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable nuances associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether “brands engage with that nuance honestly or simply aestheticize the color.”

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone’s history of bold colors, but says it reflects a genuine change and fits within a broader mood of “calm luxury,” exhaustion and rejection of excess.

She says feedback from her clients has been largely positive, with many longing for quieter, more restful spaces.

“Many people actively seek tranquility and serenity in their homes and are not always willing to go for bolder colors,” he explains.

Whether white feels calming or sterile, Malik maintains, depends on how it’s used, and far from being “Pantonedeaf,” he sees it as one of Pantone’s most usable choices.

Cloud Dancer is described as a blank canvas that allows “all the colors to shine,” a vision Malik shares.

“A blank canvas is not an empty space, it is a space full of potential,” he says.

Adding that its success “will not be in its universal adoption, but in how it anchors a broader conversation about what we want from our homes.”

For those tempted to embrace Cloud Dancer in all its pristine glory, one thing may be essential: a very good stain remover, kept firmly within reach.