🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of introspection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and embodies a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Some observers contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during ongoing political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white carries cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

The designer points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people relate to their homes.

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

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel sterile 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 inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing 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.

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant 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 living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, 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 "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group 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 during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury