🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years renting, staring at 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 time around, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of introspection".

It represents the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, 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 "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade feels soft 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 "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, 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 "it is universally accepted 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 panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

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

"White forces 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 continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, stating: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury