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For those who has spent a long time 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 time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been picked 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 embodies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility 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 clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

Contrary 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".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating 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 aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury