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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, 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 feel like a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees 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 bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, 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, Robinson 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 repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration 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 "not focused on newness 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 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 advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury