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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has selected white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

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

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness 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 hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury