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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality 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 designated white as its flagship hue.

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

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous 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 symbolize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read 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 rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject 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 meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing 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.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback 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 not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

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

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury