🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

It marks the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating minimalist and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers contend that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries deeper meanings 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 austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

While it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined 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, calming ambiance".

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she adds that it also carries presumptions 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 tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury