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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease within current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

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

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

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-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 work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury