🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that presenting white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality equals virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical at home," she explains.

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

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming atmosphere".

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

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 "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style 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 unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that complexity honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first shocked 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