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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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 touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, 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 work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce 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 "essentially the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

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

"White forces 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 holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury