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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical 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".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection 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, noting 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 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 bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury