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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared desire to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, 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 feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If 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 associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury