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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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, noting that white can work especially effectively 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 staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with 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 track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury