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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others propose that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness 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 "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 particularly well 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 basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury