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For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes the majority call home.

Others propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous 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 represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue 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 "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury