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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

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

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 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 bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

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

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury