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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers contend that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" 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 become a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

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

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury