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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

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

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

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

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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 suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

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, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, 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".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury