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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous 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 epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

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

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented 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 refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing 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 appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and refined 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 "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury