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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of stillness".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey 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 highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly 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 powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms 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, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 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 arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it 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 self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury