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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It represents the initial instance a pure 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 widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

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

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most 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, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" 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 incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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 particularly well as a background for architectural details 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 presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting 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 nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury