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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

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

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection 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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend 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 accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury