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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury