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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by 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 personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

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

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed 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 specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 vibrant colors.

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

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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