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For anyone who has spent a long time 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 be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became 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 tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, 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 structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

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

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, 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 specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, 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 pick 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury