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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped 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 disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be 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 "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality 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 hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep 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 clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful 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 boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury