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

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance 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 evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, 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 specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection 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 especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury