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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

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

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel 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 favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury