🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the influential color company has chosen 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 emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the worth of stillness".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and embodies a widespread desire to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Some observers argue that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current political and cultural discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous 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 removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality equals virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather out of step".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

Lara Clark, a UK-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 extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson 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 repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

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

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When white is viewed 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 tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury