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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 yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", 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, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury