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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into 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 disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, 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 aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury