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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 "it is universally accepted 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 panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury