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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue 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 year, the renowned color company has designated white as its premier hue.

In detail, 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 signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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 backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury