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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease during continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer 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 a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury