🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent years living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a direct affront.

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

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white touted as "elevated" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-learning the importance of stillness".

It represents the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a philosophy" and reflects a collective urge to slow down, reset and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that promoting sparse and immaculate white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, messier homes most people call home.

Some observers propose that presenting white as an ideal risks subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably within continuing societal discussions about race and representation.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert One design critic says the backlash goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries societal connotations and is rarely a innocuous choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, influenced by a decade of minimalist celebrity interiors – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He clarifies that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer personifying "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that impartiality denotes goodness".

The designer references the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people perceive their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "more aesthetic barrenness seems rather out of step".

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

'Sterile Sensations

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

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

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

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving 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 shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed dopamine décor", using vibrant hues to showcase individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "have varied interpretations" to the significance of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that seems deliberate and versatile".

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

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the serene assurance of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently more gentle, emotionally driven tones like a soft peach.

These hues extend beyond trend forecasts - they show up in clothing lines, beauty launches, interiors, 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 particular shade seems soft 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 "bedrooms and communal spaces where you want a serene, restful atmosphere".

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

Interior designer Another professional says although he was taken aback that Pantone's pick this year was "essentially 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 merits, explaining that white can work particularly well as a backdrop for design features like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, 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 bold shades.

Luxury stylist A styling expert says elevating white feels "less about novelty and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces 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 carries assumptions around self-image, way of life and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an ideal, especially during ongoing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies engage with that complexity authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Another expert concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of vibrant hues, but says it reflects a authentic change and aligns with a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury