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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

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

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees 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 pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject 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 stated 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 feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping 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 seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

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 peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background 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 unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury