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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury