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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond 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 "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, 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, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury