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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

It signifies the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

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

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary 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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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