🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has selected white as its premier hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that presenting white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from chaos".

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

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

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

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

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury