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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - 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.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "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 "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury