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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, 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 uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury