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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour 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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, 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 "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

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

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating 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 continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury