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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers argue that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease during ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues 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 deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours 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 marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury