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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

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

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed 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 "works seamlessly 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 significant industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade 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 communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional 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 architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury