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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics propose that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

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

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury