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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch 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 Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When 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 celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first 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