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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

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

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

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

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold 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 seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways 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 poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury