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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved 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 designated white as its premier hue.

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

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been chosen 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 embodies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced 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 chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" 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 adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating 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 craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury