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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

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

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Others contend that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

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

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

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

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging 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 seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, 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 "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 panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury