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For those who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – 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 being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

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

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

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways 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 poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is treated 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 ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury