🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Others contend that positioning white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort during current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

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

The designer references the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," 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 risks amplifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, 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 colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury