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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more 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 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 feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury