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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority occupy.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears 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 "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep 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 fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" 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 incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways 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 presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury