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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality equals virtue".

The designer references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, 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 pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

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 more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication 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 adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury