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For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within continuing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

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

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary 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, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection 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 wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury