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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen 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 philosophy" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," 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, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president 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, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy 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 clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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 communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, 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 pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury