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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It represents the first time white has been honored 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 shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Others contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings 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 stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

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

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly 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 become a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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 communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style 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 different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially 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