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

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom 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 epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated 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 associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury