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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This year, 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 "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury