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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value 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.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting 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 austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, 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 everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

A representative 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 versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging 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 specific hue seems 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, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional 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 particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication 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 adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If 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 problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury