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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, 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 "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury