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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen 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 importance of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

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

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "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, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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 communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group 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 aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury