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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease within continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness 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 focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, 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 cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury