🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by 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 year, the renowned color company has designated white as its flagship hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a collective desire to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some detractors have labelled the decision as "out of touch", arguing that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can seem far removed from the smaller, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Others contend that presenting white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within ongoing political and cultural conversations about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends surface appeal, stating that white bears societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

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

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the idea that impartiality denotes virtue".

Beaumont points to the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

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

Rather than providing calm, he believes white now risks amplifying "a sense of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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 suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says bright whites rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give a medical atmosphere."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to express individuality.

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, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and more recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than stark".

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

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised 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 not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on shape, proportion 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, stating: "When white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice at first shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury