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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This year, 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 symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "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 selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want 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 lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, 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 fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury