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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 injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

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

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

A representative 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

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

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

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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, 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 cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist 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 fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury