🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the influential color company has selected 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 "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It marks the initial instance a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a philosophy" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within current political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, stating that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

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

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in real homes.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily seem clinical 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 spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's not a top choice".

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

In fashion, white has long been a basic 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 refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury