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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 latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen 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 "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering 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 philosophy" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease within current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen 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 significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging 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 appear basic, "this specific hue feels 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 "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, 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, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury