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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury