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For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of introspection".

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 "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort amid ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality signifies goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds 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 pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury