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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel 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 touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others argue that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

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 ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

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 neutrality equals goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read 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 readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard 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 meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

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

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury