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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" 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 adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury