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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding 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 shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

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 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 pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury