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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease during continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, 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 architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping 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 particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness 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 shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "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 aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury