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For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

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

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease during continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

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

"Should you don't want 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 pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury