🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by 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 year, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people call home.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably amid ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, noting that white carries cultural undertones and is rarely a innocuous choice.

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

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he argues white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

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

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

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", 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 background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury