🔗 Share this article

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

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society rediscovering the worth of quiet reflection".

It represents the first time a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

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 seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the more compact, lived-in homes the majority occupy.

Others propose that framing white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

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

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that impartiality equals goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

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

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this particular shade feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a statement 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 concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly amid ongoing discussions about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "brands engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury