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

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort during ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism 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 famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey 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 extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, 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 "essentially the absence of colour", 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, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed 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, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury