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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected 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 emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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 "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed 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 particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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 unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury