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For those 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 latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It represents the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik 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