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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

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

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although 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 professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces 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 self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury