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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It signifies 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 mindset" and reflects a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create 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 demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries 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 poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated 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 associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury