🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

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

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality equals virtue".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

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

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey 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 work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

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

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" 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 versatile".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted 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 curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "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 cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury