🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the importance of introspection".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes the majority occupy.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white holds cultural undertones and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality signifies goodness".

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

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs 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 pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a professional photo can easily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

"The color white may seem stark and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they appear in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick 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 especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In apparel, 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 familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing discussions about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury