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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It represents the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics propose that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries deeper meanings 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 austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and be warm and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed 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 showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging 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 basic, "this particular shade feels 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 living areas where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it 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 wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury