🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time living in rental properties, confronted by the same standard-issue magnolia walls and dreaming of injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might be perceived as a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has chosen white as its annual hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white characterized as "lofty" and "billowy" which "functions as a symbol of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the worth of stillness".

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.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a philosophy" and embodies a collective urge to decelerate, reset and achieve serenity after years of aesthetic chaos.

But some commentators have labelled the decision as "insensitive", suggesting that championing sparse and pristine white spaces can feel distant from the smaller, messier homes the majority inhabit.

Some observers propose that positioning white as aspirational introduces racial undertones, creating unease within ongoing societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the backlash transcends aesthetics, stating that white bears societal connotations and is rarely a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to symbolize "wealth, order and distance from disorder".

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

The designer cites the pandemic as a pivotal moment in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our workspaces, sanctuaries and emotional anchors," he says, stating that in this context, directing the Colour of the Year towards "further aesthetic barrenness feels rather disconnected".

Instead of offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a sense of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a Surrey based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "firmly in the bin for me".

While it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades seldom create calm in everyday living spaces.

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

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

She adds that "living spaces should elicit happiness and feel warm and welcoming, and this hue feels quite distant from that."

The critic expresses a desire that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to showcase individuality.

The vice president 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 sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and versatile".

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

Past choices have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the serene assurance of a deep blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and most recently more gentle, feeling-based tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours extend beyond style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "elegant choice" and while it may appear simple, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and living areas where you want a serene, calming ambiance".

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

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's pick this year was "fundamentally the lack of pigment", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in contemporary houses".

In apparel, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it poses a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", indicating a movement towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she explains.

But she adds that it also carries presumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, saying: "If white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the fashion world is already aware of the uncomfortable undertones tied to celebrating white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "companies engage with that nuance authentically, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Reflection of the Times

Stylist Katie Malik admits the choice initially surprised her, considering Pantone's history of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and aligns with a wider mood of "quiet luxury