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For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

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

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels soft and refined 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 atmosphere".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised 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 background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement 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 seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury