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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

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

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined 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 work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most 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, 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 seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions 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 divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury