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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard 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 significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

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

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, 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 "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 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 those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury