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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 yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its annual hue.

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary 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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge 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 shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury