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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It represents 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 "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast 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 peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement 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 presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first 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