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For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

More specifically, 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-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely 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 demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style 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 unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury