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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing 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 influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", 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 chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and refined 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 ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Design expert Another professional 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, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When 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 associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury