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

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It represents the first time 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 widespread urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

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

The designer references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

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 reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale 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 intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond 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 coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, 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 background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury