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For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal risks racial undertones, creating unease within continuing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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 calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, 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, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury