diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a796c6e..38dc1a1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ xlib_dep = dependency('x11')
 executable(
     'ravenapp',
     './src/Box.cpp',
+    './src/Styles.cpp',
     './src/Painter.cpp',
     './src/Window.cpp',
     './src/Widget.cpp',
diff --git a/src/Button.cpp b/src/Button.cpp
index 8faf7cb..3acde4c 100644
--- a/src/Button.cpp
+++ b/src/Button.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "Box.hpp"
 #include "Window.hpp"
 #include "Painter.hpp"
+#include "Styles.hpp"
 #include "pango/pango-layout.h"
 #include <pango/pangocairo.h>
 
@@ -17,40 +18,21 @@ void Button::set_text(std::string text) {
 }
 
 void Button::on_init() {
-    set_background_border_radius(styles()->button_border_radius());
-    set_background_fill_color(styles()->button_normal_color());
-    set_do_background_fill(true);
+    set_style(&default_button_style);
     fit_text(m_text);
-
     set_did_init(true);
 }
 
-void Button::update_color() {
-    if (is_active()) {
-        set_background_fill_color(styles()->button_active_color());
-    } else if (is_focused()) {
-        set_background_fill_color(styles()->button_focused_color());
-    } else {
-        set_background_fill_color(styles()->button_normal_color());
-    }
-}
-
 void Button::on_paint() {
     auto painter = window()->painter();
-    auto text_color = styles()->button_text_color();
 
-    painter.source_rgb(text_color);
-    painter.set_pango_font_description(styles()->controls_font_description());
+    painter.source_rgb(style()->foreground());
+    painter.set_pango_font_description(style()->font_description());
     painter.text(current_geometry(), m_text, PaintTextAlign::Center, PANGO_ELLIPSIZE_END, true);
     painter.fill();
 }
 
-void Button::on_focus_update(FocusUpdateEvent &event) {
-    update_color();
-}
-
 void Button::on_activation_update(ActivationUpdateEvent &event) {
-    update_color();
     if (event.activation_status() == false) {
         on_click();
     }
diff --git a/src/Button.hpp b/src/Button.hpp
index 13634be..c543970 100644
--- a/src/Button.hpp
+++ b/src/Button.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ public:
 protected:
     void on_paint();
     void on_init();
-    void on_focus_update(FocusUpdateEvent &event);
     void on_activation_update(ActivationUpdateEvent &event);
 private:
     void update_color();
diff --git a/src/Forward.hpp b/src/Forward.hpp
index 7b20264..fda750e 100644
--- a/src/Forward.hpp
+++ b/src/Forward.hpp
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 namespace Raven {
+    class GenericStyle;
     class Box;
     class Button;
     class Events;
     class Painter;
     class Point;
-    class TopLevelStyles;
     class Layout;
     class Widget;
     class Window;
diff --git a/src/GenericStyle.hpp b/src/GenericStyle.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eee9c31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GenericStyle.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "pango/pango-font.h"
+#include "RGB.hpp"
+
+#define __RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(name, type, ...) \
+    private: \
+        type m_##name {__VA_ARGS__}; \
+    public: \
+        void set_##name(type new_prop_value) { m_##name = new_prop_value; style_prop_updated(); } \
+        type name() { return m_##name; } \
+    private:
+
+namespace Raven {
+
+class GenericStyle {
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(font_description, PangoFontDescription*, nullptr)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(foreground, RGB, 0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(background_norm, RGB, 1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(background_focused, RGB, 1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(background_active, RGB, 1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(border_radius, double, 0.0)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(fill_background, bool, true)
+__RAVEN_STYLE_PROP(update_background, bool, false)
+
+private:
+    void style_prop_updated() { }
+public:
+    GenericStyle(
+        PangoFontDescription* font_description,
+        RGB foreground,
+        RGB background_norm,
+        RGB background_focused,
+        RGB background_active,
+        double border_radius,
+        bool fill_background,
+        bool update_background
+    )
+        : m_font_description(font_description)
+        , m_foreground(foreground)
+        , m_background_norm(background_norm)
+        , m_background_focused(background_focused)
+        , m_background_active(background_active)
+        , m_border_radius(border_radius)
+        , m_fill_background(fill_background)
+        , m_update_background(update_background) {}
+};
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Label.cpp b/src/Label.cpp
index b3b24a7..0f59781 100644
--- a/src/Label.cpp
+++ b/src/Label.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "Label.hpp"
 #include "Window.hpp"
 #include "pango/pango-layout.h"
+#include "Styles.hpp"
 #include <iostream>
 
 namespace Raven {
@@ -13,18 +14,16 @@ void Label::set_text(std::string text) {
     }
 }
 void Label::on_init() {
+    set_style(&default_label_style);
     fit_text(m_text);
-
     set_did_init(true);
-    set_do_background_fill(false);
 } 
 
 void Label::on_paint() {
     auto painter = window()->painter();
-    auto text_color = styles()->label_text_color();
 
-    painter.source_rgb(text_color);
-    painter.set_pango_font_description(styles()->controls_font_description());
+    painter.source_rgb(style()->foreground());
+    painter.set_pango_font_description(style()->font_description());
     painter.text(current_geometry(), m_text, PaintTextAlign::Left, PANGO_ELLIPSIZE_NONE, true);
     painter.fill();
 }
diff --git a/src/Label.hpp b/src/Label.hpp
index 7697956..430742f 100644
--- a/src/Label.hpp
+++ b/src/Label.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "Widget.hpp"
-#include "PropMacros.hpp"
 
 namespace Raven {
 
diff --git a/src/Painter.cpp b/src/Painter.cpp
index 2caf394..d21879b 100644
--- a/src/Painter.cpp
+++ b/src/Painter.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ Point Painter::text(Box &geometry, std::string &text, PaintTextAlign align, Pang
     return {pango_units_to_double(pango_width), pango_units_to_double(pango_height)};
 }
 
-void Painter::source_rgb(RGB &source_rgb) {
+void Painter::source_rgb(RGB source_rgb) {
     m_cairo->set_source_rgb(source_rgb.r(), source_rgb.g(), source_rgb.b());
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Painter.hpp b/src/Painter.hpp
index c1e2ae3..880dbcf 100644
--- a/src/Painter.hpp
+++ b/src/Painter.hpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public:
 
     bool can_paint() { if (m_cairo) return true; else return false; }
 
-    void source_rgb(RGB &source_rgb);
+    void source_rgb(RGB source_rgb);
     void fill();
 
     void begin_paint_group();
diff --git a/src/PropMacros.hpp b/src/PropMacros.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index ed98e92..0000000
--- a/src/PropMacros.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#define DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(name, type, ...) \
-    private: \
-        type m_##name {__VA_ARGS__}; \
-    public: \
-        void set_##name(type new_prop_value) { m_##name = new_prop_value; repaint(); } \
-        type name() { return m_##name; } \
-    private:
diff --git a/src/Styles.cpp b/src/Styles.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..596472a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Styles.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#include "Styles.hpp"
+
+#include "pango/pango-font.h"
+#include "src/RGB.hpp"
+
+namespace Raven {
+
+GenericStyle default_widget_style {
+    pango_font_description_from_string("sans-serif"),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    RGB(1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000),
+    RGB(1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000),
+    RGB(1.00000, 1.00000, 1.00000),
+    0.0,
+    true,
+    false
+};
+
+GenericStyle default_button_style {
+    pango_font_description_from_string("sans-serif"),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    RGB(0.73333, 0.40392, 0.89412),
+    RGB(0.63922, 0.27843, 0.81961),
+    RGB(0.54118, 0.18039, 0.72157),
+    6.0,
+    true,
+    true
+};
+
+GenericStyle default_label_style {
+    pango_font_description_from_string("sans-serif"),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    RGB(0.00000, 0.00000, 0.00000),
+    0.0,
+    false,
+    false
+};
+
+}
diff --git a/src/Styles.hpp b/src/Styles.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dfe60ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Styles.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "src/GenericStyle.hpp"
+
+namespace Raven {
+
+extern GenericStyle default_widget_style;
+extern GenericStyle default_button_style;
+extern GenericStyle default_label_style;
+
+}
diff --git a/src/TopLevelStyles.cpp b/src/TopLevelStyles.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index ae8fff7..0000000
--- a/src/TopLevelStyles.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-#include "TopLevelStyles.hpp"
-#include "Window.hpp"
-
-namespace Raven {
-
-void TopLevelStyles::wants_repaint() {
-    // when one of the styles here changes, we will dispatch
-    // a full repaint to the entire window :^)
-    m_window->dispatch_full_repaint();
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/src/TopLevelStyles.hpp b/src/TopLevelStyles.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 386f371..0000000
--- a/src/TopLevelStyles.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,57 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include "Forward.hpp"
-#include "pango/pango-font.h"
-#include "PropMacros.hpp"
-#include "RGB.hpp"
-
-namespace Raven {
-
-class TopLevelStyles {
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(controls_font_description, PangoFontDescription*, nullptr)
-
-/* FIXME: */
-/* right now, these colors are gruvbox */
-/* however the `accent_color_darkest` is a darkened version of `accent_color_darker` */
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(text_color, RGB, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(accent_color, RGB, 0.6941, 0.3843, 0.5254)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(accent_color_darker, RGB, 0.5607, 0.2470, 0.4431)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(accent_color_darkest, RGB, 0.48069, 0.1669, 0.3631)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(background_color, RGB, 0.9764, 0.9607, 0.8431)
-
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(button_text_color, RGB, m_text_color)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(button_normal_color, RGB, m_accent_color)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(button_focused_color, RGB, m_accent_color_darker)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(button_active_color, RGB, m_accent_color_darkest)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(button_border_radius, double, 6.0)
-
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(label_text_color, RGB, m_text_color)
-
-private:
-    Window *m_window;
-public:
-    TopLevelStyles(Window *window)
-        : m_window(window)
-    {
-        PangoFontDescription *font_description = pango_font_description_new();
-
-        pango_font_description_set_family(font_description, "sans-serif");
-        pango_font_description_set_weight(font_description, PANGO_WEIGHT_NORMAL);
-        pango_font_description_set_absolute_size(font_description, 16 * PANGO_SCALE);
-
-        m_controls_font_description = font_description;
-    }
-
-    ~TopLevelStyles() {
-        if (m_controls_font_description) {
-            pango_font_description_free(m_controls_font_description);
-        }
-    }
-
-    Window *window() { return m_window; }
-    void set_window(Window *window) { m_window = window; }
-
-    void repaint();
-};
-
-}
diff --git a/src/Widget.cpp b/src/Widget.cpp
index 84cbb91..9942f92 100644
--- a/src/Widget.cpp
+++ b/src/Widget.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ void Widget::fit_text(std::string &text) {
     if (!window())
         return;
 
-    window()->painter().set_pango_font_description(styles()->controls_font_description());
+    window()->painter().set_pango_font_description(m_style->font_description());
     auto size = window()->painter().compute_text_size(current_geometry(), text);
     if (!resize(size)) {
         reflow();
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ void Widget::set_window(Window *window) {
         throw std::logic_error{"null window value for set_window"};
 
     m_window = window;
-    m_styles = m_window->top_level_styles();
 
     on_init();
 }
@@ -122,14 +121,24 @@ void Widget::handle_repaint_rect(RepaintRectEvent &event) {
     cr->save();
 
     // clip this widget. this ensures that the background fill or children won't overflow the bounds of it
-    painter.rounded_rectangle(m_current_geometry, m_background_border_radius);
+    painter.rounded_rectangle(m_current_geometry, m_style->border_radius());
     cr->clip();
 
     // paint the background fill
     // note that we're using the bounds of the paint event as the rectangle, this ensures that we dont draw over other widgets which won't be repainted.
-    if (m_do_background_fill) {
-        painter.source_rgb(m_background_fill_color);
-        painter.rounded_rectangle(event.box(), m_background_border_radius);
+    if (m_style->fill_background()) {
+        if (m_style->update_background()) {
+            if (m_is_focused) {
+                painter.source_rgb(m_style->background_focused());
+            } else if (m_is_active) {
+                painter.source_rgb(m_style->background_active());
+            } else {
+                painter.source_rgb(m_style->background_norm());
+            }
+        } else {
+            painter.source_rgb(m_style->background_norm());
+        }
+        painter.rounded_rectangle(event.box(), m_style->border_radius());
         cr->fill();
     }
 
@@ -176,6 +185,10 @@ void Widget::handle_mouse_move_event(MouseMoveEvent &event) {
 
         auto focus_update_event = FocusUpdateEvent(update_focus_to);
         on_focus_update(focus_update_event);
+
+        if (m_style->update_background()) {
+            repaint();
+        }
     }
 
     if (!m_consumes_hits) {
@@ -208,6 +221,10 @@ void Widget::handle_mouse_button_event(MouseButtonEvent &event) {
 
         auto activation_update_event = ActivationUpdateEvent(update_activation_to);
         on_activation_update(activation_update_event);
+
+        if (m_style->update_background()) {
+            repaint();
+        }
     }
 
     if (!m_consumes_hits) {
@@ -260,9 +277,4 @@ void Widget::dispatch_event(Event &event) {
     }
 }
 
-void Widget::on_init() {
-    set_background_fill_color(styles()->background_color());
-    set_did_init(true);
-}
-
 }
diff --git a/src/Widget.hpp b/src/Widget.hpp
index 969cacb..2fd8fc8 100644
--- a/src/Widget.hpp
+++ b/src/Widget.hpp
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 #include "Events.hpp"
 #include "Forward.hpp"
 #include "RGB.hpp"
-#include "TopLevelStyles.hpp"
-#include "PropMacros.hpp"
+#include "src/GenericStyle.hpp"
+#include "src/Styles.hpp"
 
 namespace Raven {
 
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ enum class ControlWidgetType {
 };
 
 class Widget {
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(do_background_fill, bool, true)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(background_fill_color, RGB, 0, 0, 0)
-DEF_WIDGET_STYLE_PROP(background_border_radius, double, 0.0)
-
 public:
     Widget() {}
 
@@ -73,14 +69,11 @@ public:
     Window *window() { return m_window; }
     void set_window(Window *window);
 
-    std::shared_ptr<TopLevelStyles> styles() { return m_styles; }
-    void set_styles(std::shared_ptr<TopLevelStyles> styles) { m_styles = styles; wants_relayout(); }
+    GenericStyle *style() { return m_style; }
+    void set_style(GenericStyle *style) { m_style = style; reflow(); }
 
-    void set_did_init(bool did_init) { m_did_init = did_init; }
     bool did_init() { return m_did_init; }
-
     bool is_focused() { return m_is_focused; }
-
     bool is_active() { return m_is_active; }
 
     bool consumes_hits() { return m_consumes_hits; }
@@ -96,8 +89,6 @@ public:
     std::shared_ptr<Layout> layout() { return m_layout; }
 
     void dispatch_event(Event &event);
-    void wants_repaint();
-    void wants_relayout();
 
     template<typename T, class... Args>
     std::shared_ptr<T> set_layout(Args&&... args) {
@@ -115,13 +106,15 @@ public:
 protected:
     WidgetType m_type { WidgetType::Widget };
 
-    virtual void on_init();
+    virtual void on_init() { set_did_init(true); }
     virtual void on_mouse_button(MouseButtonEvent &event) {}
     virtual void on_mouse_move(MouseMoveEvent &event) {}
     virtual void on_focus_update(FocusUpdateEvent &event) {}
     virtual void on_activation_update(ActivationUpdateEvent &event) {}
     virtual void on_paint() {}
 
+    void set_did_init(bool did_init) { m_did_init = did_init; }
+
     void repaint();
     void reflow();
 private:
@@ -135,7 +128,7 @@ private:
     std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Widget>> m_children;
     Widget *m_parent { nullptr };
     Window *m_window { nullptr };
-    std::shared_ptr<TopLevelStyles> m_styles { nullptr };
+    GenericStyle *m_style { &default_widget_style };
     std::shared_ptr<Layout> m_layout { nullptr };
     bool m_did_init { false };
     bool m_is_focused { false };
diff --git a/src/Window.hpp b/src/Window.hpp
index 08aa7dd..d8be93c 100644
--- a/src/Window.hpp
+++ b/src/Window.hpp
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ public:
     std::shared_ptr<Widget> main_widget() { return m_main_widget; }
     void set_main_widget(std::shared_ptr<Widget> main_widget);
 
-    std::shared_ptr<TopLevelStyles> top_level_styles() { return m_top_level_styles; }
-
     void repaint();
     void repaint(Box geometry);
     void repaint(Widget *target);
@@ -57,7 +55,6 @@ private:
     std::shared_ptr<Widget> m_main_widget { nullptr };
     Box m_current_geometry { 0, 0, 800, 600 };
     Painter m_painter {};
-    std::shared_ptr<TopLevelStyles> m_top_level_styles = std::make_shared<TopLevelStyles>(this);
     Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::XlibSurface> m_xlib_surface { nullptr };
     bool m_is_batching { true };
     bool m_did_relayout_during_batch { true };