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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been chosen 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 philosophy" and embodies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

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

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most 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 technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries 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 unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury