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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

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

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant 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 serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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 background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury