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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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 particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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 accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury