🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue magnolia walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a personal attack.

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

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "lofty" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the worth of introspection".

It signifies the initial instance a pure white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and signifies a shared desire to slow down, reset and seek peace after years of sensory saturation.

But some critics have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers propose that positioning white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, creating unease amid continuing societal conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, arguing that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "affluence, control and removal from chaos".

He explains that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality signifies virtue".

The designer points to the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

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

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to intensifying "a feeling of desolation", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

While it may work in highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely 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 stark and demanding and you don't want your home to emit hospital vibes."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and feel inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite removed from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed dopamine décor", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute commented that people "bring different feelings" to the significance of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and adaptable".

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

Previous selections have included the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue seems gentle and refined rather than stark".

In contrast to those who say the colour is boring, Robinson sees it as "flexible" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a serene, restful ambiance".

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 championing white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also holds assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already cognizant of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an ideal, particularly amid continuing conversations about representation and accessibility, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Stylist Katie Malik concedes the choice at first shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury