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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been picked 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 state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Others contend that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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 highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces 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 presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury