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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

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

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

The designer references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, 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 architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback 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 merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury