🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

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

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "billowy" which "serves as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the importance of quiet reflection".

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

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a state of being" and embodies a shared yearning to slow down, recalibrate and find calm after years of visual overload.

But some commentators have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Some observers contend that presenting white as an ideal risks racial undertones, causing discomfort within ongoing societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Sterile or Serene?

Designer Chris Beaumont says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, noting that white holds societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a ten-year period of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to represent "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer personifying "restraint, moral minimalism and the notion that neutrality signifies virtue".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people perceive their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, refuges and emotional anchors," he says, noting that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Instead of providing calm, he argues white now threatens to heightening "a sense of bleakness", especially when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

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

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

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

"The color white may seem stark and demanding and you don't want your home to give clinical feelings."

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

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using colour to showcase personality.

The vice president 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, providing a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and versatile".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant trend indicator.

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

These hues extend beyond style predictions - they show up in clothing lines, cosmetic products, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the coming year.

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

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

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

Design expert Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the lack of pigment", it is a bit like vanilla ice cream, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its merits, explaining that white can work especially effectively as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and advantage, stating: "When white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, particularly during continuing discussions about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice initially shocked her, given Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury