🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of 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 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.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Additional critics contend that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease amid current societal conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality equals goodness".

The designer cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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 architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade 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 joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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 benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "If 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 ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury