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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

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

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

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback 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 not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling 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 poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury