🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the worth of introspection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a state of being" and reflects a shared urge to slow down, reset and find calm after years of sensory saturation.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", arguing that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel far removed from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Additional critics contend that framing white as aspirational introduces subtext related to race, creating unease amid ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and removal from disorder".

He elaborates that white is "not intended to inspire but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, moral minimalism and the concept that neutrality denotes virtue".

Beaumont cites the global health crisis as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness feels rather tone-deaf".

Instead of offering calm, he believes white now threatens to intensifying "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based design expert, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

Although it may suit highly minimal or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily seem sterile at home," she clarifies.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

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

Beaumont expresses a desire that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale dopamine décor", using colour to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning 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 trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, shaping how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can incorporate the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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, explaining that white can work particularly well as a background for design features like wall molding and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

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

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a shift towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she adds that it also carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and privilege, stating: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury