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

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It represents the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others propose that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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 benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to bold shades.

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury