🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, 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 joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", 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, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury