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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers argue that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues 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 selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want 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 "essentially 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 especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling 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 presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces 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 presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury