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

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

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

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, 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 hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury