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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the value of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease during ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds 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 austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they became 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 offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen 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 evolved into a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have included 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 Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury