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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with 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 seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping 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 particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated 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 associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury