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For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for 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 chosen white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It marks the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express personality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than severe".

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 communal spaces where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, 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 not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

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

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations 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

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury