🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the importance of stillness".

It marks the first time white has been picked 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 mindset" and embodies a shared desire to slow down, reset and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers propose that framing white as aspirational risks racial undertones, creating unease amid current political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

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

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, 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 gentle and refined rather than severe".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury