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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within current societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies virtue".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When 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 uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury