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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others contend that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

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

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express 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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury