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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury