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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort during current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile 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".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas 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, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury