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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read 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 seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, 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 appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant 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 communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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 especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury