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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease during current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous 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 symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, 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 highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

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