🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance 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 collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics propose that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, 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".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work especially effectively 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 basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury