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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Others argue that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during ongoing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

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

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

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

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

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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 communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury