🔗 Share this article

For anyone 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 be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Others propose that presenting white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary 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, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury