Trends We Were Wrong About! 😱 Interior Design Trends We Thought Would Last... 

How many people redecorate (or can afford to) down to their fixtures every 5 years to catch the latest marketing trends? Fast home styling is just as bad for the environment as fast fashion. Buy/discard/repeat.

I live in a 500 yr old cottage with stone walls etc so reclaimed wood has been a major part of my style for many years. I think if you always decorate in keeping with your house's style, age and location, it will never look dated.

I'm so glad all grey everything is going away! When we were looking for houses, I'd see listing photos that I honestly thought were B&W photos because there was so little color, if any. Grey is a sophisticated color, but only when paired with something like navy, chocolate brown, or teal. Then it can really feel rich but as a supporting cast member, not the starring role. Love your style, Nick, and I love how you don't condescend toward people who like styles that are trending out.

This is cracking me up. My ex and I built our house 5 yrs ago and he argued for many of these trends. I argued against many of them... hahaha. It's sweet being right. Basically no fake things: no fake distressed wood. No fake grey floors. No fake farm aesthetic.

My gauge for when a trend is over is the second that I see it on any of the home flipping shows. This is the official indicator that the trend has become the Anne Hathaway cerulean sweater of interior design.

The trouble with "reclaimed wood" - as seen in most of the pictures you showed us, is that it's anything but reclaimed wood. In most pictures we saw mass produced, fake "reclaimed" wood - and that was all the hype some years ago and absolutely gaudy. We were talking vinyl, plyboard, extremely cheap pine or laminate treated to look distressed, treated so every plank looks different. You can even see this ex-trend in floors from about 6-8 years ago where it's actually tiles made to look like wood that's been distressed. Authentic (quality) salvaged wood on the other hand is so important from a sustainability perspective, using wood with a real patina. In my Edwardian home, when I bought it I had to get rid of most of the floors as the planks were rotten but now the wood is reclaimed Oregon pine from other homes or buildings of the time period that had been removed - and no engineered hardwood or laminate can replace authenticity.

I have a beautiful blanket box made from demolition wood from a historic harbourfront warehouse from the waterfront of my city. I have had if for forty years and it is a lifetime piece for me. It gives me a sense of place. That is the type of reclaimed wood that is timeless to me.

Spot on! I teach Interior Design and teaching the difference between cool colors and warm is a focus of mine. Living in New England (cold 6 months of the year), the all gray trend makes everything so cold, lifeless, and depressing. Maybe a video on warm vs. cool colors and where they "belong" would be great!

Clear glass globes and Edison bulbs feel harsh to me and hard on my eyesight

Please let Home Depot and Lowe’s know the lantern pendant should not be 80 percent of their in-store selection. They’ve been stuck there for five years. Exhausting.

The gray trend has recently felt like it’s playing with my eyes. When I see pictures of homes that are all gray, or gray and white, I feel like I’m seeing things in black and white. It’s like living in a monochromatic world.

I think the main problem is people getting things they want without thinking of what will surround it. My little, very Western style cabin looks great out here in Idaho, but would look extremely tacky in a city. Same goes for my neighbors very modern house which would look amazing in a city, but is just out of place in a rural setting. For example, I think that reclaimed wood works really well and will stay fashionable for ages in the Mountain West. We have so much reclaimed wood here that it can be cheaper than the fake stuff and since it's so dry, it's rarely moldy or gross. Plus, since we're actually out in the middle of nowhere, it fits the style. Every design style has its place and will work if given enough thought and in the right setting. I think people are so caught up in their Pinterest boards that they forget to look around at the house they already have. Even the cheapest, tackiest items can find their place and look amazing. You can make any style timeless with spending ridiculous amounts if you just focus on making sure that you're not fighting against what you already have.

the terrazzo looks like turkish nougat 😆

I have to also go on record that - like transporting plants and firewood - transporting reclaimed wood from one region to another also has the possibility of introducing insect larvae that are non-native to the region and can potentially threaten entire forests. This problem is already playing out with Oak trees on the East and West Coast being killed off by bark beetles as well as various other native plant species that have no defense against non-native parasitic insects.

I remember the confetti terazzo that was used during my childhood in Lebanon in the 60's - the inclusions were really small and 99% of the time it was for back staircases, mudrooms and laundry areas to brighten them up a bit. It was seen as a nice way to reuse construction debris but not for general living spaces. I look at the current version with these massive chunks of whatever and just roll my eyes. Thank God the reclaimed wood thing is fading as after we came to America in the 70s, I spent a lot of my formative years in Maine and in many cases, people were forced to use reclaimed wood, including shiplap scavenged from wrecked vessels, to construct and repair houses as they had no other option due to their economic situation. I honestly just shake my head looking at a wall of "heritage" shiplap (it is a thing) here in the Dallas area that is thousands of miles from its origins where it truly did serve its intended purpose, putting food on someone's table..and then providing them shelter.

Colorful Terrazo is always going to be a favorite of mine, but truth be told, you really are invested in with that aesthetic. Not everyone feels so whimsical all the time. Though, it's a hill I'd probably die on.

Part of the problem is that trends get overdone or exaggerated and become kitschy and tiring.

Grey wood flooring is probably my #1 least favourite interior design trend. A warm space is so important to me and I feel like you immediately take any ounce of cozy out of a space when you add grey floors. A couple of friends have intentionally put grey hardwood flooring into their homes in the last 5 years and every time I want to scream "WHYYY???" hahaha.

Still loving my grey couch and grey walls; however, it was never ALL grey. We have cherry red wood floors and the living room opens through an archway into a dining room that’s a dark, smoky teal. Also, we have art on those grey walls. Grey is amazing to give the eye a rest and if you like cool tones. People need to stop hating on it in a general way; I totally agree the problem is when the space is monochromatic.

The problem with trends is that they are trends. Any item of any style can look great and timeless. You just need to personalize your interior according to your true needs and passions, character of the architecture and the geografical area. And not just follow what's in fashion. I painted my flat gray before it was trendy, not because I hate colours but because I love it. I wanted the perfect background to my books, paintings and colourful ferniture to look good, and they do. My decor doesn't look outdated 'cause it never was trendy ;)

I'm not a fan of seeing the actual bulbs in lights.

Dont like the exposed bulbs. Very harsh

I think grey wood floors are an extension of the reclaimed wood trend. Wood will often go silver/grey when it ages (think docks, barn sides, unfinished fence planks, etc.). So as the reclaimed (and fake reclaimed) wood trend winds down it makes a lot of sense that grey-tinted wood flooring will also fade away.

I would have lost my mind during two years of Covid lockdown in a grey monotone home! Too cold and depressing. 20 years ago I fought my builder-husband over Navajo white walls vs my choice of the palest creamy sunshine yellow.. I have never regretted going against the popular trends! PALE Sunshine yellow saved my sanity during covid.

As far as cheap gold and cheap brass is concerned, I don’t have real gold money and chrome is boring to me. I’m never going to let gold go. I’ve been using gold in decor and my clothes accessories for decades now. I’m happy to replace old cheap gold with new cheap gold 😂 Love the video

Your farmhouse comments always make me laugh. I live in a 100+ yr old farmhouse and have never once considered a live, laugh, love sign (as you suspected). Keep up the great content! 😊

My opinion on why some of these trends end up not being long lasting even when we think they would or should: 1) circular popularity. Things that are popular *because* they are popular. Fads are a very short term version of circular popularity, but it also applies to years-long trends and brand loyalty etc. 2) there's a difference between "oh that's pretty for a home" and "oh that's pretty for MY home." There are many many styles that I like the looks of, but would never put in my own home because it's just not "me". I think some people just get swept up in the "oh it's pretty" and "oh its trendy" and just never consider whether the trend actually fits their taste. 3) trends get overdone. We see it everywhere and get tired of it. Or, we overuse it in our own homes and get tired of it. 4) trends in one medium get applied to other media, specifically hard media (floors/walls/countertops) to soft media (pillows/blankets) and vice versa. Or from one purpose to another (floor to water bottle). So, terrazzo, which belongs anywhere concrete could be, such as floors or maybe countertops, being applied to pillows and water bottles. Reclaimed wood, which belongs wherever wood belongs, being applied to decorative cardboard boxes. 5) when it's done super cheaply. This applies to points 3 and 4. The contact paper or digital print version of terrazzo or reclaimed wood will always look like you cheaped out, so you need to be careful about using it.

Grey is my favorite neutral, especially for walls or tile, because I find it so soothing. But I very much prefer that to be complimented by wood and colorful rugs, and warm furniture colors.

Real terrazzo is lovely. Subtle colors and cool surfaces especially for hot climates. So easy to care for!!

Years ago, 31 years actually, yikes! I had painted our bedroom a light grey with white trim, it was a ' century home ' with gorgeous old wooden floors and I loved it. I got really ill and because I was pregnant, I was in bed in that room for weeks. OMG, asap after giving birth I painted it a lovely light sort of sage green. I find that both of these colours are back in style now, when I was painting recently, everyone was suggesting this grey that's really trendy right now .. UGH .. never again, I went with a lovely light sort of sage green.

The first thing I think of when buying lighting is, how easy is it to keep dust-free? Those lantern lights are funky but…spider webs!

I love the grey base color, but i always use a brighter color like blue or red to bring in my personality to the space. I just like that Grey can go with so many colors that I can decorate around the neutral base color.

To be fair, weathered wood is often grey.

The idea of a trend is that it is short lived and transitory. Trends by definition don’t stick around a long time. I also got SO tired of seeing lantern lights fixtures everywhere!

I am sooooooo glad to see the "gray everything" trend GO! I just got finished having my recently purchased house painted to remove the gray everywhere walls. I never liked it, and I never jumped on this trend. Buh-bye gray!

Hmm, I just realized after watching this video one reason why it’s taking so long to decorate my home. Even though I have modest means (budget wise), I’ve never been big on following trends, which limits choices when looking for something and all one sees is more of the same stuff… until replaced with a new trend, lol.

I hated the colorful Terrazo trend from the get go. It looks cheap and themeparky.

I’m in a farmhouse but there’s nothing reclaimed in here. The old pig barn on our property hasn’t had pigs in it for 60 years but still carries a faint odor of…..well, you know. And I’m with you a thousand percent on the gray wood flooring. Gray wood means it’s been out in the weather for eons so it’s possibly rotten and full of bugs. Don’t want that in my house, nope. Love your videos! ❤️

The bare bulb lighting trend has always reminded me of those scences in movies, in an interrogation room, with the bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. Not so warm and cozy. Not to mention the harshenss of the light.

Grey can look great with other natural colors, but all grey can be depressing. I love grey, but I got a natural looking wood floor, just a hint on the grey side. Warms up my grey walls. But I noticed in my grey office with dark furniture I need art that really warms it up in there.

Just a comment about gray wood. We had unvarnished teak trim around the stern and on the steps of the ladder that went to the flybridge on our boat . We decided to let the sun bleach them and they became the most gorgeous multi shades of gray I've ever seen.

My mother has a dining table made from reclaimed railway sleepers, it is heavy solid oak, custom made by a carpenter and polished, no smell, looks stylish not like the reclaimed rough pallet wood style stuff. In other words reclaimed can be done stylishly and is an excellent choice for the environment but if it’s cheap junk it will always look like it!

To augment my other comment about lanterns: Grey wood DOES occur naturally - when untreated wood is exposed to the elements. Think cedar shake-clad houses or the vertical panels of old barns. Grey floors only belong in homes shooting for farmhouse and beach home vibes. Anywhere else and they read as out-of-place and artificial.

Looking at light fixtures lately. I really like the look of those drapey wood-beaded ones, but I can tell that trend will age like milk.

Hate hate hate the grey trend but especially in “wood.” The beauty of wood is its warmth, I think. I also don’t like the bleached/blonde wood trend that seems to be replacing it for the same reasons. Unfortunately grey is still thriving in the Midwest, but not in my house. My living room is halcyon green and I’m fixing to paint my laundry room bunglehouse blue this weekend.

Love my gray floors, but I’m mixing it with lots of black and a few bold jewel tone pops. I love cool tones and hate beige. Also, I grew up on the west coast and the gray wood reminds me of the weathered wood on houses on the Sonoma Coast, so it does feel natural to me.

I love gray. My floors are LVP that are gray-brown depending on the lighting at the time. Both natural woods and other furniture go so well with it. My rug is a mix of grieve, teal, light blue and a touch of gray. Gray is most kind to my sensitive eyes and reduces headaches.

Reclaimed wood fits in with a rustic (not necessarily 'farmhouse') look and in a warehouse look. But not to the average suburban home. My grandmother's house was all white. Partly because they didn't have access to all sorts of paint colors. But it is also very easy to clean and tell you have cleaned it. One issue I have with 'barnwood' is how rough it can be. If not planed and sanded smooth, it will catch EVERY bit of dust and pet hair and hang on for dear life. Almost impossible to keep clean. I also have a problem with backsplashes made of that 'layered stone' that isn't smooth and flat. Put that behind a stove and you get a nasty nightmare mess if you cook much.

Gray wood flooring feels OK along the coast like naturally occurring gray driftwood, like cedar shakes that weather into gray.

I'm ok with gray, but I've never liked gray flooring, and couldn't really explain why. You explained all the reasons why perfectly. Thank you!

I still think I’ll do terrazzo in my basement bathroom. In very neutral, natural colors. My son is afraid of the basement and I need to make it cheerier, so I thought Terazzo would be a good solution for it. I totally agree with your opinions here! I usually avoid trends, and go for classic, eclectic, but it’s nice to do something fun sometimes.

Totally agree on the awful gray ‘wood’ flooring!! Other pet peeves for me are engineered wood floors -all builders want to put these in. I had to beg to get actual 3/4” oak flooring put in my home after it got flooded. Last, stacked stone like on fireplaces and exterior walls ugh, ugh, and a really tacky trend!

I agree with the grey. I have never found it a welcoming colour and it just makes a room look gloomy. I prefer slight off-whites with a more cream, beige, mushroom undertone as it can still look neutral but with a warmer undertone that still goes with anything you add.

I am a woodworker, and I work with reclaimed wood a lot. (Yes, I'm in an urban area) I think... Firstly reclaimed doesn't have to be from the old stinky barn, reclaimed can be from anything. A lot of my wood comes from old fencing, and shipping pallets. Secondly, if your reclaimed wood piece (whatever that is) stinks, then the person/company that made it didn't take the proper steps to de-oderize or seal that wood before use. You can remove smells from old wood, but it is a timely and sometimes expensive process. I think some of the other problems people have with it is as you said, associating it with that rustic, or industrial style, that I think really falls short of the true potential of reclaimed wood.

A lot of houses built in Florida in the 50s and 60s had terrazzo floors and they feel timeless in my opinion and there feels like a sense of place. That super bold, floor to ceiling terrazzo is funky and fun, but trendy af.

When I had hard flooring laid in my house, grey was far from my choice, but when the flooring people bought samples to look at I found that all the "brownish" wood tones did not go with my natural timber furniture. There was just too much wood. The sample of grey actually seemed to highlight the wood furniture so I went with that. My house doesn't look cold because there is colour in the furniture (wood and other) and furnishings - no grey there.

I still love open light fixtures. I clean houses & my pet peeve is cleaning glass/enclosed lighting. It’s so much easier to dust and thoroughly clean an open fixture. Easier to replace bulbs and even easier to install (most of the time). I’m always thinking of ‘the clean’ aspect when I change out things in my home, and open lighting almost makes me giddy when I clean for a client.

I love your eloquent ways of talking about old/dated trends. Thank you for never tearing down the individuals who use these, it is refreshing

I think the biggest problem with grey is too many people that that was the end of their color pallette. No, use the grey as a base then add color. And I kind of like the unnatural grey wood in my parents house they did a fake wood tile in that kind of color and then did the walls a light purple it looks great.

I still kind of like that “funfetti” Terazzo - it makes me think of pieces of Jell-o in whipped cream. I think an “all white” kitchen (high gloss, smooth front cabinets; integrated appliances; white floor; white backsplash) would look cheeky and fun with a funfetti terazzo worktop either on the main counters *or* an island. Especially if you’re fortunate enough to have large windows in the kitchen. You could then bring in more colours in linens, crockery, etc. Vintage Fiestaware pottery would be a nice accessory.

What, no glitter grout? Is that still “on trend”? 😂 I got into the reclaimed wood trend because I liked the reuse-recycle aspect of it. Definitely can see the smell being an issue, and I can’t say I have much of it in my home (literally one thing), but the thought behind it was good. I’d love to see more trends that reuse materials in a new way to keep junk out of landfills.

I've never liked the all grey look as it seems so dull and depressing to me, but some woods will silver (turn grey) if left outside to weather.

I went grey after decades of beige, browns and reds - it depends on the tone. I like the cool toned greys - they are a great background to all my plants and other pops of colour. It is very soothing and easy to live with. Besides, it’s only paint. When I get tired of it, I’ll change it. I still have dark brown and beige floors that go with everything. That’s how you can change trends easily just by changing the colours on your walls. Also, my untreated fence outside has turned grey over time so it is a ‘natural’ colour. As natural as any of the other hardwood floor finishes out there - maybe even more so. 👍🥰

Grew up on a ranch. raised our kids on a ranch, never had any farmhouse style, or word art. The closest to farm house style I have is a pot rack my husband made out of my grandfather's branding irons, which I love.

I disagree a bit about grey wood not being a natural thing. Wood that was never sealed does turn grey over time. Tired-looking fences are a good example of this or rundown barns. My childhood home had some exterior stairs that were sun-bleached to a grayish tone, enough so that it broke my brain a little when we had to replace one of the treads and it was glaringly different looking even though it was the same type of wood.

Thank you, Nick, for including the "all grey" trend here. I have never liked it. Pictures of all grey rooms look like black and white pictures to me and gloomy - who would choose to live in a storm cloud? It also appears to be a knee jerk/lazy choice for mass home builders - a safe neutral without regard to other home features. I suspect going forward all grey will be associated with a distinct time period and seem dated in the same way mauve and teal or harvest gold, orange, and avocado green do today.

I’d love to see a video about how to “save” your house when you’re stuck with some of these features. I’m in a rental with gray faux wood floors and I need to know how to work around that feature!

My dilemma with the over island lighting, is, I needed large light fixtures but I didn’t want to block out the space. Hence, I chose the open lantern style. It doesn’t block the sight line and I still like the look. Any suggestion on a more current alternative? Large, hanging from a sloped ceiling.

Yay for the demise of all grey ,I never liked it and I sincerely hope to never see it come back .It was so popular in the UK that it was quite hard to find things that weren't grey at one point .Anything that wasn't grey was usually blush pink or ochre ,better but still not my thing .I never quite understood the grey fascination , rain clouds are grey ,concrete is grey ,aluminium is grey ,stormy seas are grey ,enough with the grey ! Lol .

Lesson - what lasts is the real deal and good quality dupes; flash in the pan is the stuff masquerading as real materials

I think a lot of people took their design cues from watching HGTV.... not realizing that many of those episodes are at least a a few years old. I so enjoy your perspective on design trends and you are gennerally on point!

Regarding most trends, I think it really depends on the age/style of your house. We tend to love houses built in the 50/60's so our decor picks up on the modernized style of those houses (such as opening lighting, warm wood floors, black cabinets) to keep with the theme of the house but update it. But I do find trends more stark in suburbs/planned communities where it seems everything was based on just trend and it's like overly sterile trends.

Fun video. Regarding the reclaimed wood, we took an old wood door and made it into a headboard for our bed. It's certainly one of a kind and I still think it looks cool.

My 1968 Florida home still has the original Terazzo. I paid $1000 to have it redone. I love it.

I don’t think I‘ve consciously noticed the lantern lamps. And seeing them now, I don’t even understand the logic of putting a light bulb in what essentially looks like a metal cage

I always wondered: reclaimed wood = termites??? But I still love the wood aesthetic. I remember the old fancy "seasoned' wooden salad bowls my grandparents had. I'd love to have them set out on my table

I hope reclaimed materials can come back into style in another way! Farmhouse is not my favorite, but I love the idea of reusing materials more.

🤣🤣🤣you gotta clean the wood with vinegar to get the smells out. some smells simply wont come out, you have to choose which wood you reclaim wisely. I am really into reusing materials - currently making wooden fall signs with wood that was the extra cuts from making cabinets. local cabinet shop lets folks get their extra pieces for free.

Old reclaimed woods can also harbor woodworms, which can cause severe damage in a house. These pests eat wood and will continue eat the timber doors, wood flooring, furnitures. Until they emerge, and notice the problem, they leave a network of tunnels behind them and you will lost some valuable, expensive items. I totally agree! Mosaic in contrast to the terrazzo, is timeless and chic.

I subscribe to your channel because I generally agree with your advice and we have similar taste. I just purchase the things that I love, I don't give two whits about trends. My home is comfortable, functional and pleasing to me. That is what is important. I appreciate your videos on "timeless" furnishings. I believe you save people from making expensive mistakes when tempted to make trendy purchases

Nick has the best shade.

I saw terrazo being tacky and outdated from miles away- we saw it go out of style in older libraries and schools. The rainbow sprinkle effect was never going to be timeless.

I didn’t care for the grey trend myself even when it was beginning because of the very reasons you mentioned. I don’t think any of my friends ever embraced it, but I saw a lot of houses for sale back when I was house hunting that were just decked out in grey everything. It was like walking into the Department of Motor Vehicles office instead of a home.

Finally, someone articulated why gray wood flooring was so unsettling.

Interior fashion trends never last. Truly classic design does.

Gray wood flooring always reminded me of aged wood you would see on a lake dock. Or when I let my cedar fence age naturally... So if you think of it in that way you can imagine wood that is left to age naturally and that you have not applied stain to. I think it is still fine, but as long as you don't go crazy with grey everything. And the wood feature walls, doors, etc. The one thing I would be concerned about is cleaning it. Untreated wood is very porous. As far as Terrazzo... I love color and patterns. But it would have to be in the right design setting. If not it would look trashy. Let alone how hard it would be for your eyes to be able to see depth--I can see people tripping on steps for sure. A simple Terrazzo pattern would be better... 😊

This is why I stick with antiques and use personal artwork and meaningful family heirlooms to decorate. My home tells the story of our family.

"IDK where this stupid barn came from" looool! love that 😂

I was never a fan of the reclaimed wood or the terrazzo. The terrazzo that is subtle is a different matter; it looks more authentic.

Trigger warning: mean comments about gray. I have lived for years with depression. Being in a room of gray tones, for me, is like sitting in the middle of a rain cloud. I also think it’s lazy. And it’s for people who are afraid to choose color. Gray is nothing. It’s never ending fog. It’s a cold rainy autumn day when there’s no sun and all the leaves have fallen. It’s desolate and sad and boring and lazy and unimaginative. I love my gray hair and my husband’s gray beard and my cozy gray sweater. But gray as a design choice? Hard no.🌸

I applaud people who can keep up with trends! I still have 1980's cabinets and oak trim everywhere! I really don't like painting wood and I still have carpeted floors. I might be weird but I like the look and everything feels like it's well made compared to a lot of newer stuff I have looked at! I do like grey and I have painted my kitchen a nice shade because it looked good with my new appliances. I feel like it's really hard to keep up and expensive as well so I don't even attempt to be trendy!

Reclaimed Wood is better with like terracotta earthy scapes. The problem is its often put next to very sanitized spaces

I live in rural Ohio, and reclaimed wood still works here, in moderation. My house has a single ceiling beam, which I love, partially because it matches the environment. I do think it would look stupid in an urban environment.

Aww, I got a little sentimental remembering my uncle, a farmer who got into making picture frames out of wood from a barn he took down :) But I'm totally with you about how reclaimed wood got overly popular.

Oh, how I hated the all-gray trend which seemed to go on endlessly, year after year, and people actually bought into this en masse. My style is English country house, and has been for many decades, so I steered clear of just about every trend, although I do have two beautiful Chinoiserie lamps. Even those make sense since I collect antique Chinese porcelain. and they are also very much a part of the English country house aesthetic. My taste has evolved, as it should, but in a sort of leisurely way where I never had to throw or give away much of anything (well, the old living room couch resides in the garage now), and it's satisfying to know that so little has been wasted or unloved.

The whole grey on grey thing gives me twilight zone feels, like being trapped in an old back and white film

When I see reclaimed wood all I can think of is that rough surface, how can it be cleaned.

I like the terrazzo 🥰 It doesn't have to go all over the floors, walls and ceilings... but how fun as a counter top from which you can pull colours for paint or furniture! I love it! It adds a uniqueness :) And you can even use it where there may be too much grey... I am also not a huge fan of grey. Grey floors are awful 😣

Agree with pretty much everything you're saying but have to admit that I'm still happy with the antique gold fixtures in my powder room; we invested in good quality items and it makes the space feel warm and relaxing.

I love terrazzo, I always will. With anything it has to be done tastefully. I just hired a contractor to tile my shower in a realistic looking terrazzo and it's spectacular. I moved into an all grey house and it's the bane of my existence, and I'm spending every day off painting the grey out of my life.