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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, 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 particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, 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 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.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury