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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for 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 influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

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

It represents the first time 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 embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury