🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, 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 honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and signifies a widespread desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease during current societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

While it may work in highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

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

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful trend indicator.

Past choices have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

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

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick 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, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions 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 problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

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