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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject 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 "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming 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 taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury