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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

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 concept that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey 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 architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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 serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 not a top choice".

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

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

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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 wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury