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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics propose that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

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

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

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

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast 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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury