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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia 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 white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

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 "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics propose that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during current societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

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

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

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

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

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it 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 curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury