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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

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.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

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

The vice president 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, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, 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 living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting 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 statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury