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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived 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 create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional 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 calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional 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 "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement 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 explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury