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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at 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 a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It signifies the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during current societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

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

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing 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 feels gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury