🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years renting, staring at 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 personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "out of touch", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Additional critics propose that positioning white as aspirational risks racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the concept that impartiality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

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

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "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 sophisticated impartiality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful industry signal.

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

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

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury