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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard 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 stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, 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 "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury