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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, 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 work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury