🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have labelled the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes the majority call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing societal conversations about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

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

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather out of step".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly 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 industry signal.

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

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

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury