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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

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

It represents the initial instance white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others argue that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort during continuing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express 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 feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert 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 a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury