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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees 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 create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic 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 "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary 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 serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant 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 wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury