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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated 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 calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, 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 minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges 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 believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 seems intentional and versatile".

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 more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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, noting 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 fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist 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