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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It represents the first time 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 mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale 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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

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

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

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury