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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its premier hue.

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

It signifies the initial instance 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 philosophy" and signifies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality 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 optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined 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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury