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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

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 in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary 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, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication 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 adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

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

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury