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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing 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 famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical 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".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly 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 industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

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

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "If 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 tied to lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury