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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, 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 feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been picked 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 signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

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

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour 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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury