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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort within ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

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

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"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, 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 aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury