🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

It marks the first time white has been honored 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 state of being" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within continuing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to epitomize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of bleakness", especially when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject 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 commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping 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 simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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 benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details 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 different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury