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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs 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 architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, 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 "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president 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 versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging 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 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked 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