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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

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

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

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

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

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, 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 fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked 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