🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the value of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

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

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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 prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury