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For many people who has spent a long time 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 seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual 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 value of stillness".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues 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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional 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 "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style 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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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