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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It signifies the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

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

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury