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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for 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 influential color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries societal connotations 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 famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury