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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting 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 dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details 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 presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury