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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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 "growing trend 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 familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury