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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen 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 signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Others contend that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds 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 austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, 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 architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade 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 express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" 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".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels 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, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing 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 focus on form, 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, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury