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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees 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 rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

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

A representative 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 sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

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

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries 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 presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury