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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of 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 renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Others argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

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

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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury