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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing 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 a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease within current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings 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 epitomize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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 extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue 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 joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary 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 peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury