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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease within continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour 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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

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 a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting 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 fashion, 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.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds 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 industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury