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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue 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 year, the influential color company has designated white as its annual hue.

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

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour 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, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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