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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige 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 renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen 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 philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease within current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

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

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury