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For those who has spent years 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 year, the renowned color company has designated white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within ongoing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

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

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"Should you don't want to repaint, 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 "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

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

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury