diff --git a/controldeck.py b/controldeck.py
index 45c5ec8..2214105 100755
--- a/controldeck.py
+++ b/controldeck.py
@@ -199,12 +199,18 @@ class Button(QBtn):
     self.command = ''             # command to run on click
     self.state = ''               # output of the state check command
     self.state_command = ''       # command to check the unclicked state
+    self.color_bg = kwargs.pop('color_bg', '')
+    self.color_fg = kwargs.pop('color_fg', '')
     super().__init__(**kwargs)
 
     self.style = "width: 90px;"
     self.style += "min-height: 77px;"   # image + 2 text lines
     self.style += "border: 1px solid var(--c-blue-grey-8);"  # #455a64 blue-grey-8
     self.style += "line-height: 1em;"
+    if self.color_bg:
+      self.style += f"background-color: {self.color_bg};"
+    if self.color_fg:
+      self.style += f"color: {self.color_fg} !important;"
 
     # if DEBUG:
     #   print(f'[DEBUG] button: {self.text}; image: {self.image}; exists: {path.exists(self.image)}')
diff --git a/example/controldeck.conf b/example/controldeck.conf
index 0ad26f4..53dd2cb 100644
--- a/example/controldeck.conf
+++ b/example/controldeck.conf
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
 #  : N.    optional group/row specification
 #  : NAME  id, name of the button
 # text-alt = optional alternative burron text
-# color-fg = foreground color as hex color code, e.g. \#ff0000
-# color-bg = background color as hex color code, e.g. \#ff0000
+# color-fg = foreground color as hex color code, e.g. #aa5500
+# color-bg = background color as hex color code, e.g. #0055aa
 # command = command(s) to run, seperated by new lines: shell command
 #   second command ...
 # command-alt = optinal back-switch command(s) to run: shell command ...