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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease during continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws 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 vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury