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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents 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 "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

Since its launch 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 energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 familiar with bold shades.

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

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, 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 aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury