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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others propose that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during current societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "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 meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, 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 appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury