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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

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

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

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

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion 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 wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury