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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels soft and refined 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 living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 familiar with bold shades.

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

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated 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 tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury