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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

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

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, 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 extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury