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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile 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 extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle 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".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury