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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

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

It signifies the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics argue that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs 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 seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"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 warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple 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 A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated 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 aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury