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For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort during current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral 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 symbolize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject 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 refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters 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 James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", 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 benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury