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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds societal connotations 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 symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale 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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional 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 a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping 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 particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling 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 different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert 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 broader sentiment of "quiet luxury