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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

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

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

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others contend that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury