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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white holds deeper meanings 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, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering 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 included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed 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 refined rather than stark".

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 living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury