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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style 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 chosen a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease within continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade 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 peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury