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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding 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 presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury