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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read 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 rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president 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, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast 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 serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted 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 panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury