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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express 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 "integrates perfectly 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 industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels 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 communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

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

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury