🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that positioning white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks amplifying "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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".

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject 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 "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade feels 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 "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling 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 vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, 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 fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury