🔗 Share this article

For anyone who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality 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 described as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It represents the first time white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes most people occupy.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal introduces subtext related to race, causing discomfort within continuing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

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

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer embodying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

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

"Suddenly they became our offices, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "further visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give hospital vibes."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and be warm and lived-in, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour 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, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a powerful industry signal.

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

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they appear in clothing lines, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this specific hue seems soft and refined rather than severe".

In contrast to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "flexible" 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 repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

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

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

Fashion consultant A styling expert says elevating white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

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

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

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during continuing conversations about inclusion and approachability, 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 Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury