Magnolia Network’s Gray Benko & Chelcie Eastman on How They ‘Fight Like Sisters’

Gray Benko is back alongside Chelcie Eastman to bring their trademark color and personalities into the design space with a brand new show Anything But Gray. The Magnolia Network series builds on the popularity of Happy to Be Home with the Benkos, which also featured Gray’s ex Mike (the pair separated in 2023). Benko and Eastman’s Laverne and Shirley dynamic remains a winning formula. They like to have a good time with the process but also mean business. 

Over the course of six episodes, the two designers transform Charleston homes for clients looking to bring their properties a bold refresh. Gray’s dad Joe Highsmith, affectionately called “Grumpy,” helps bring their visions to life. Ahead of the October 18 premiere, we caught up with the ladies to talk about their return and challenges they face. 

A lot has happened since your previous show aired. What went into the decision to bring us Anything But Gray? 

Gray Benko: We’ve just kept going and never really stopped. What we do with the show, we just haven’t ever stopped. It was a very easy transition to a new show. We’re still doing the same thing, but it’s just a new name, and [Chelcie]  is around a lot more. 

How would you describe your work dynamic over the years? 

Gray: It’s probably more like a sister thing. So in other words we fight. 

Chelcie: It’s out of love. It’s like how you would fight with your brother or sister. I mean I just walked into the door here and said, ‘I need to use your curling iron.” 

Gray: I think from the very beginning we kind of threw ourselves into this really quickly. We went from being acquaintances really to working together all day, every day, all the time.

Chelcie: It’s very long hours, and you’re stressed. You can’t hold back. 

Gray: When you watch the show and see what we do, especially during those first two seasons, everything we did design-wise was really just us. We don’t have a whole team of people. It’s just us, so we are in the trenches with each other. When we’re staging for the houses the night before we would be there until 3 a.m. just to get it done. It has been a lot of hard work, but it has been very rewarding. We see the best sides of each other and the worst sides of each other. 

Chelcie: We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses for sure. 

What kind of challenges do you face this time around? 

Gray: I think with the tariffs and everything. It has been problematic getting things here in the United States. There is a lot of last-minute having to pivot and figure out things like, ‘oh my God, this sofa didn’t get here. It was supposed to be here a week ago. They assured us it would be here yesterday. How are we going to find a coffee table?” We had to get creative. 

Chelcie: Those types of things have been challenging. The design world is not necessarily cheap, but we try to remain obtainable. It is getting a bit more expensive, but not in a way we can’t work around it. 

You just have to be a bit creative. 

Gray: We have to think outside-the-box. 

Chelcie: It’s great for American companies, but terrible for these beautiful brands in Europe and Asia. We do find we’re looking for American made products now. 

Gray: It has been kind of scary having to rely on overseas shipping. We still had to do it some. 

Chelcie: But sometimes it forces your hand when you have to make a deadline. 

These folks are giving their keys to you. There is a lot of trust in that. What can you tell us about the clients we’ll meet this season and some of the projects you’ll tackle? 

Gray: It’s a little bit different this season compared to the first two where homeowners were very involved. This time we tried to make sure we had a very good understanding of what they wanted up front, and they just trusted us. It can be scary. For us, it is too. 

Chelcie: It’s almost like Trading Spaces where it’s like, “oh God.” So far we’ve been very successful I’d say. 

Gray: Yeah, everyone has been very happy. There is an older couple this season who bought a house in Downtown Charleston and really wanted it to feel like a place where their kids and the grandkids could all come there and have it feel like this really special family home. It’s near the beach. I think seeing them at the end with the grandkids running in to see the house. I feel like we’ve never worked with clients who are retired before and making a home not just for them. There was this generational feel to it as well. For me, that one was a really fun one. 

You build a bond with the clients. 

Gray: We become very tight with them. 

Chelcie: Honestly, Season 1 especially, because we went through it, man. We were learning as we were going. They’ve since become some of our best friends. 

Gray: I saw two of the homeowners yesterday. You develop a bond. 

Chelcie: Yeah, I went to the mountains last weekend with Jaclyn  from Season 1. 

One of the burning questions I’ve had is, Gray, how does your dad feel about being called Grumpyy? 

Gray: He loves it, but let me explain. When I got pregnant with my first child he was like. “I’m going to be a grandad.” He was sitting there one day with this very smug look on his face, which is not uncommon. He was like. “I know what my grandfather’s name is going to be.” I asked, “what?” He then said it would be Grumpy. I was thinking it’s not even ironic because you are grumpy. I was like, “okay, we’ll go with that.” 

It’s in an endearing way though. 

Gray: Yes, an endearing way. 

Chelcie: Everyone loves Grumpy. Everywhere we go when they talk about the show they ask if they are getting more Grumpy. 

Gray: It just sort of stuck. That name was there even before the show.. .They were like, “can we call you Grumpy?” He is fine with it. Now we’ll be at the airport where people will want a picture, and he loves it. So funny. 

We need Grumpy merch. 

Gray: Actually, one of our clients from Season 2 made him a hat that said Grumpy. 

That’s awesome. Beyond the clients and work, will we see much home life? 

Gray: This year they kept it outside the home where it’s strictly the job. 

Chelcie: I honestly think it’s because we’re boring. 

Gray: We are not boring. 

I would say not. 

Gray: I think it’s because the show is a certain amount of time, so if you want to capture this whole project from start to finish, there is not the time. 

Chelcie: We are doing massive projects. These are not one, two room, flip it situations. These are historic homes that require preservation. They are ruled by the Board of Architectural Review. So, we are working with architects, the cities. There are days where we are like, “does anyone know the mayor?” 

Gray: That did happen. There was one of our episodes where my dad had such a hard time with the BAR to get anything approved and caused a major delay. It took months. 

Chelcie:  And we normally don’ t have that problem. Those are the things I would like to emphasize is Gray and I have a true passion for not only the skilled trades in the United States right now that are just absolutely dying, but we also love these old homes. America doesn’t have the history that other places do, and we are tearing down the little tiny bit we have. These houses are amazingly beautiful and very scarce here, so the fact we get to preserve them is a big deal. But also, full disclosure, these projects are massive. Most of these interior designers take on maybe 10 major projects spanned over 12 months. We’re doing six to 12 in four months. These are construction included. They aren’t even including construction in most of their jobs. For it to be the two of us and a couple of GCs (general contractors), it’s hard to do. It’s also hard to capture the beginning, middle, and end because it’s huge. 

Gray: With construction, especially as far as trying to film things like that, it’s hard to plan ahead because you don’t know what is going to happen. If it’s going to rain. 

Chelcie: Or an inspector is going to deny something because of a weird wire. 

Gray: Or a painter going to say I have a day off so I’m going to just show up. 

Chelcie: These are not faked projects in any way. They are a hundred percent real. I think that is why we really stand out in this industry is because we’re not faking it. We’re pulling permits, doing it by the book, true love of the preservation of the history of these homes. They take time. 

Gray: We are in it. I feel like you watch a lot of these shows and assume they just show up to film. But it’s our whole lives. We’re involved every step of the way. 

Chelcie: We also have projects outside of the show too. It’s not just the show houses. 

You mention being so entrenched together in your jobs. Anything you two like to do outside of work? 

Chelcie: We like to eat.  We don’t have a whole lot of time. We love antiquing. 

Gray: Antiquing is probably our favorite thing to do. Or just check out the taco stands down the road. But when we go antiquing I’m always looking for weird things. 

Chelcie: And I’ve already found her. 

Anything But Gray premiere, October 18, 1/Noon, Magnolia Network (Next Day on HBO Max and Discovery+)