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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has chosen 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 tranquility in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

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 "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold 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 refined rather than severe".

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 peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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 curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, 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 lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury