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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like 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 characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease within continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details 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 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 elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

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

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury