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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

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

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease during continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more 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, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

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

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration 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 concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury