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

This year, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics contend that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic 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, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined 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 communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury