🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared desire to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational risks subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, stating that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," 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 chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became 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 out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-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 bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated 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 feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping 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 seem basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

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

"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 surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively 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 staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury