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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce 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 "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 wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury