🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a widespread urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Additional critics propose that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort amid continuing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues 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 chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

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

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury