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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning 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 calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury