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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It signifies the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others argue that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, 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 simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding 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 different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury