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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Others contend that positioning white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease amid ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

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

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical 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".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold 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 feels soft and refined 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 living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury