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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping 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 seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple 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", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury