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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift 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 no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury