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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer cites the global health crisis 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 "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury