🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and dreaming of adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a personal attack.

This year, the renowned 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 "functions as a emblem of tranquility in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been honored as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

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

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "out of touch", suggesting that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the more compact, messier homes most people inhabit.

Others propose that positioning white as an ideal carries subtext related to race, creating unease within current political and cultural dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash transcends surface appeal, noting that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a ten-year period of minimalist celebrity interiors – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, order and distance from chaos".

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

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

"Suddenly they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather disconnected".

Instead of providing calm, he contends white now risks heightening "a feeling of bleakness", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

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

While it may suit highly minimal or architectural spaces, she says bright whites rarely create calm in real homes.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and be warm and lived-in, 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 joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

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

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

Previous selections have included the optimism of Living Coral, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the energy of a bold pink-red, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

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

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

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, calming atmosphere".

"Should you don't want to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, throws and drapes."

Interior designer Another professional says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like panelling and arched doorways which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

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

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says elevating white seems "less about novelty and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"The color white compels designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really no room for error," she explains.

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

She says the industry is already cognizant of the uncomfortable undertones associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially amid continuing conversations about inclusion and accessibility, and the real test will be whether "companies address that complexity honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Style consultant Katie Malik admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury