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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

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

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed 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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury