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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease amid current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

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

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

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 pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch 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 serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful 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 "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer 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 vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple 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 "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury