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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of 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 "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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 "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic 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 A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury