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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

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

It represents the first time white has been chosen 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 philosophy" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort during current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

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 especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury