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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It marks 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 mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others contend that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease within current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous 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 represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites 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 harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

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

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury