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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems soft 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 "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation 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

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury