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For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, creating unease during continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject 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 meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than severe".

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

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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.

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

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury