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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, 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 feel like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

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

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease within continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

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

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

A representative 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 sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, 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 "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer 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 "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury