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

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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 refined neutrality 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 optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, 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 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 "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", 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 particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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 A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury