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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

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

The designer cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted 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 curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement 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 explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury