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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 longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

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

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely 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 "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury