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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

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

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, 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 structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, 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 boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury