🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread desire to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep 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 trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

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

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "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 wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury