🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as 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 characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to decelerate, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere 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 personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile 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 "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

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, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and refined rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection 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 particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways 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.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury