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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been honored 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 state of being" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing 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.

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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 design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement 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 elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed 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 tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury