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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

It signifies the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority occupy.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

The designer references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, 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 "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury