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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

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 peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury