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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure 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 decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point 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, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional 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 serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision 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".

Contrary 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 ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, 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 background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury