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

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" 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 introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation 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

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury