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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 be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated white as its annual 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-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during current societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

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

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary 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 serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury