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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express 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 sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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 particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, 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 cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury