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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen 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 collective urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping 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 seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant 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 serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws 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 vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

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

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

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

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury