🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at 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 year, the influential color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It signifies the first time white has been honored 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 state of being" and signifies a collective yearning to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some critics have branded the decision as "out of touch", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority call home.

Others argue that presenting white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

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

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

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem clinical at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel inviting and lived-in, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

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

The vice president 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 refined neutrality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, interiors, 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 simple, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" 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 introduce the colour into a room with cushions, 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 vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more familiar with bold shades.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to focus on shape, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury