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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style 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 white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

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

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, 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 foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

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

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, 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 pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, 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 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting 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 no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury