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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones 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 notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

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

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

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

The vice president 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, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing 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 particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted 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 panelling 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 familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury