🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent years living in rental properties, staring at the same landlord-approved beige walls and longing for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "serves as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It represents the initial instance white has been picked 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 mindset" and reflects a collective desire to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", contending that promoting sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes most people call home.

Others argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, causing discomfort within ongoing political and cultural discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears deeper meanings and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from disorder".

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

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

"Suddenly they became our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of desolation", especially when paired with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely foster calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "homes should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade seems quite removed from that."

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

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels intentional and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even consumer electronics, influencing how products are sold and how consumers envision the year ahead.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels soft and elegant rather than severe".

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

"Even if you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, throws and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz 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 merits, noting that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "When 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 problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury