🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years renting, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This time around, the influential color company has selected a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

It signifies the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, causing discomfort during current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the criticism transcends surface appeal, arguing that white holds societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she clarifies.

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

She adds that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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 serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even consumer electronics, shaping how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, throws and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop 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 poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

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

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies 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, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury