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For those 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 latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

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

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine 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 elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury