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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings 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 represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

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

The designer points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical 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".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades 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 harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury