🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This year, the influential color company has chosen white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of quiet reflection".

It represents the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective yearning to slow down, reset and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Additional critics argue that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous 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 represent "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

The designer references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites 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 emit hospital vibes."

She adds that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

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 living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury