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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

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

It represents the first time a pure white has been picked 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 mindset" and signifies a shared urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected 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 evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury