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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

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

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

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury