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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, 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 work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

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

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance 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 extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" 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, blankets and curtains."

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

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury