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

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others contend that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels soft 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 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 cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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 vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury