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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance 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 idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create 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 give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes 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 stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

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

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

In fashion, white has long been a staple 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 Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury