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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others contend that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing 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 appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, 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

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury