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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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 seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"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 surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury