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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers contend that framing white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid current societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral 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 represent "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping 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 seem basic, "this particular shade 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 "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group 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 ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

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