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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 longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president 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 become a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, 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 seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury