White. The Purest of the pure. Billowing clouds. The white dove of peace and freedom, white is a conciliatory color. Unsullied, divine, pristine, traditionally the color of clothing for babies and brides, there is an innocence, delicacy and simplicity to white. A color that also speaks to modernity and contemporary design white represents new beginnings and our ability to start anew on a blank slate. White light contains all colors so that we think of white as the complete presence of light. True whites are rarely found in nature.

However, while pure white is perceived as brilliant, there is also the association of silence to white. Think of the absolute quiet of a white snowfall. The color family we correlate with meditation and the expression “quiet calm”, white is a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society that is rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection.

A quiet that in our fast paced lives is something we crave and the reason whites are becoming more important. To address the increased importance of whites we have added a grouping of whites in both warm and cool tones into the 210 new color additions to our PANTONE FASHION, HOME + INTERIORS color palette. Reminiscent of foams and milky sauces, these natural whites with names like Sea Salt and Buttercream have a soft quality to them. Brilliant White, a bright white that looks optically brightened, a symbol of scientific purity, stands out in this palette of creamy whites.

READ MORE: Color On Color: PANTONE FASHION HOME + INTERIORS cotton products with 210 New Colors.

Information extracted with permissions from the following sources:

Colors for Your Every Mood, Leatrice Eiseman author – Executive Director Pantone Color Institute PANTONEVIEW Color Trend Forecasts

Pantone Color Institute Consumer Color Research