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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It marks 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 state of being" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, 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 bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury