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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance 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.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase 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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping 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 seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert 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 vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test 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 initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury