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For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned 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 "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and reflects a widespread urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as aspirational carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality signifies virtue".

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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 suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional 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 Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways 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 presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "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 problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury