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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at 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 time around, the renowned color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire 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 stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined 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 living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, 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 design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "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 tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury