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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as 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 "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings 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 austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president 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 refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices 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, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, 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 particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate 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 absence of colour", 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 panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury