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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background 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 statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury