For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.
This time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its flagship hue.
More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".
It represents the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.
According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.
But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.
Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.
Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.
"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".
He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".
Beaumont cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.
"Overnight they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".
Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.
An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".
Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in real homes.
"What looks serene in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.
"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."
She adds that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."
Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.
The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".
Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.
Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.
These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, 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 "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than severe".
In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming ambiance".
"Even if 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 "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 particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".
In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.
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 trend overloads.
"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.
But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."
She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".
Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury
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