🔗 Share this article

For those who has spent a long time 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 seem like a disappointing choice.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society rediscovering the importance of introspection".

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

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and signifies a shared yearning to decelerate, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", arguing that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the more compact, lived-in homes most people inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease within continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the criticism goes beyond surface appeal, arguing that white holds 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 stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and removal from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, moral minimalism and the idea that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont references the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they became our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks intensifying "a feeling of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to emit hospital vibes."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to express personality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "works seamlessly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

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

Previous selections have featured the optimism 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 hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue seems soft and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a serene, calming atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

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

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to bold shades.

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

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on shape, proportion and quality, there's really no room for error," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds presumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury