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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the renowned 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 calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

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

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others contend that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current societal discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate 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 "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first 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