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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury