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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"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 inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

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

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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 design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If 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 uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury