🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has chosen a shade of white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection".

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

As stated by Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Others argue that framing white as an ideal introduces racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Clinical or Calm?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "wealth, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the concept that impartiality signifies virtue".

Beaumont references the global health crisis as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he argues white now risks amplifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

Lara Clark, a UK-based design expert, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may work in extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and unforgiving and you don't want your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the optimism of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, shaping how products are sold and how consumers envision the coming year.

Victoria Robinson, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant 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 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 Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with bold shades.

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

"The color white compels designers and wearers alike to concentrate on shape, scale and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "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 tied to celebrating white as an ideal, especially amid ongoing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury