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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous 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 "affluence, 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 signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees 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 create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 feels intentional and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer 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 a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury