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For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

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

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear 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 "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic 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 A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury