🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent years renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia 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 year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its premier hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

It marks the initial instance white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a state of being" and signifies a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that championing sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people occupy.

Additional critics contend that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and removal from chaos".

He elaborates 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 signifies goodness".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

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

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express 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 "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

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

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful 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 dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also holds presumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury