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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 yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort during current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control 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 equals goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

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

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury