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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated 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 tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been chosen 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 philosophy" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers contend that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", 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 "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, 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 backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries 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 different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury