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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily 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 "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade 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 individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 accustomed to bold shades.

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 trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds 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 exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury