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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Others propose that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected 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 professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation 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 concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury