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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast 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 peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling 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 poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury