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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 yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

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 Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast 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 atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it 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 panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds presumptions 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 aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury