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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees 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 pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels 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 vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing 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 basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing 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 form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "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 amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury