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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers propose that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, 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 show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than severe".

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury