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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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 "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived 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 easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be inviting 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.

A representative 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 intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping 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 seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined 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, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury