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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It represents the first time white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, creating unease within current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds cultural undertones 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 austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury