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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

It represents the first time 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 mindset" and embodies a shared desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease during continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative 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 refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, 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 pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, 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 problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury