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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, 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 "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, 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 taken aback 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, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If 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 problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury