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For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

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

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, 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 work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite removed from that."

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

The vice president 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 feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed 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 particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury