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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the first time a pure 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 philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing 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 simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury