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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

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

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen 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 mindset" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees 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 pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces 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, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury