🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might feel like a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", contending that championing minimalist and immaculate white spaces can seem disconnected from the more compact, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that presenting white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably during ongoing political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, arguing that white bears cultural undertones and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "wealth, control and distance from disorder".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality signifies goodness".

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

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Rather than offering calm, he argues white now threatens to amplifying "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired 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 "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel inviting and welcoming, and this shade feels quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing 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 a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and more recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may seem basic, "this particular shade seems soft and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can incorporate the colour into a room with cushions, blankets and drapes."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

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

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she continues that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a narrow group of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during ongoing discussions 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

Stylist Another expert admits the choice at first surprised her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury