🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at 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 personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a widespread yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that championing minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, creating unease during current societal conversations about race and representation.

Sterile or Serene?

Interior expert One design critic says the criticism goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white holds deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies goodness".

Beaumont points to the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, adding that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

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

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can easily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and lived-in, 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 commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that seems intentional and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold 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 severe".

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

"Even if you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally 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 benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features 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 bold shades.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially amid continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury