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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

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

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik 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