🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

This time around, the influential color company has selected white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

It marks the initial instance 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 signifies a widespread desire to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

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

Others propose that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably during current political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends surface appeal, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

The designer cites the global health crisis as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance 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 fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging 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 stark".

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

"Should you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, 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 accustomed to bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

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

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, especially amid ongoing discussions about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury