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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during current societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "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 signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot 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 elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president 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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury