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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the renowned color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease during continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

The critic 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 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 versatile".

Beginning 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 calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, 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 seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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 background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

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