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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational carries racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly 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 trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury