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

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time 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 "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels 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 vibrant hues to express individuality.

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

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury