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For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease amid continuing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, 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, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert Another professional 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 benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated 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 ideal, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury