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For anyone who has spent years renting, 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 direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative 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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury