diff -rupN original/src/color.c new/src/color.c
--- original/src/color.c	2012-12-31 18:53:32.000000000 -0800
+++ new/src/color.c	2014-03-24 07:11:25.151256142 -0700
@@ -38,10 +38,42 @@
 void set_colorpairs(void)
 {
     const syntaxtype *this_syntax = syntaxes;
+	start_color();
+	
+	bool defok = FALSE;
+#ifdef HAVE_USE_DEFAULT_COLORS
+	/* Use the default colors, if available. */
+	defok = (use_default_colors() != ERR);
+#endif
+	
+    short fg, bg;
+    bool bright = FALSE;
+    size_t np;
+    for (np = 0; np < NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS; np++){
+
+        if (parse_color_string(menu_colors[np], &fg, &bg, &bright)){
+			
+			if (fg == -1 && !defok) 	
+				fg = COLOR_WHITE;
+	
+			if (bg == -1 && !defok) 
+				bg = COLOR_BLACK;
+		
+            init_pair(np+1, fg, bg);
+            menu_color_pair[np]=COLOR_PAIR(np+1);
+        }
+        else if(np != MENU_COLOR)
+            menu_color_pair[np]=reverse_attr;
+	
+        if(menu_colors[np] != NULL){
+            free(menu_colors[np]);
+            menu_colors[np] = NULL;
+        }
+    }
 
     for (; this_syntax != NULL; this_syntax = this_syntax->next) {
 	colortype *this_color = this_syntax->color;
-	int color_pair = 1;
+	int color_pair = NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS+1;
 
 	for (; this_color != NULL; this_color = this_color->next) {
 	    const colortype *beforenow = this_syntax->color;
@@ -74,7 +106,6 @@ void color_init(void)
 	bool defok;
 #endif
 
-	start_color();
 
 #ifdef HAVE_USE_DEFAULT_COLORS
 	/* Use the default colors, if available. */
diff -rupN original/src/global.c new/src/global.c
--- original/src/global.c	2013-03-21 06:17:24.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/global.c	2014-03-23 05:30:46.676217106 -0700
@@ -199,6 +199,10 @@ regmatch_t regmatches[10];
 
 int reverse_attr = A_REVERSE;
 	/* The curses attribute we use for reverse video. */
+int menu_color_pair[]={A_NORMAL};
+#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
+char* menu_colors[] = {NULL};
+#endif
 
 char *homedir = NULL;
 	/* The user's home directory, from $HOME or /etc/passwd. */
diff -rupN original/src/nano.c new/src/nano.c
--- original/src/nano.c	2013-03-21 06:17:46.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/nano.c	2014-03-23 04:57:22.490868000 -0700
@@ -2604,6 +2604,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     mouse_init();
 #endif
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
+    set_colorpairs();
+#else
+    for (np = 0; np < NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS; np++)
+        menu_color_pair[np]=reverse_attr;
+    menu_color_pair[MENU_COLOR]=A_NORMAL;
+#endif
+
 #ifdef DEBUG
     fprintf(stderr, "Main: open file\n");
 #endif
diff -rupN original/src/nano.h new/src/nano.h
--- original/src/nano.h	2013-03-21 06:17:24.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/nano.h	2014-03-23 04:21:07.734644000 -0700
@@ -470,6 +470,13 @@ typedef struct subnfunc {
 	/* next item in the list */
 } subnfunc;
 
+enum
+{
+	MENU_COLOR=0,
+	TITLE_COLOR,
+	FOCUS_COLOR,
+	NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS	
+};
 
 /* Enumeration to be used in flags table. See FLAGBIT and FLAGOFF
  * definitions. */
diff -rupN original/src/prompt.c new/src/prompt.c
--- original/src/prompt.c	2012-12-31 18:53:32.000000000 -0800
+++ new/src/prompt.c	2014-03-23 04:40:24.798629000 -0700
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ void update_statusbar_line(const char *c
     index = strnlenpt(curranswer, index);
     page_start = get_statusbar_page_start(start_col, start_col + index);
 
-    wattron(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattron(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     blank_statusbar();
 
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ void update_statusbar_line(const char *c
     waddstr(bottomwin, expanded);
     free(expanded);
 
-    wattroff(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattroff(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
     statusbar_pww = statusbar_xplustabs();
     reset_statusbar_cursor();
     wnoutrefresh(bottomwin);
@@ -1288,12 +1288,12 @@ int do_yesno_prompt(bool all, const char
 	onekey("^C", _("Cancel"), width);
     }
 
-    wattron(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattron(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     blank_statusbar();
     mvwaddnstr(bottomwin, 0, 0, msg, actual_x(msg, COLS - 1));
 
-     wattroff(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+     wattroff(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     /* Refresh the edit window and the statusbar before getting
      * input. */
diff -rupN original/src/proto.h new/src/proto.h
--- original/src/proto.h	2013-03-21 06:17:24.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/proto.h	2014-03-23 04:29:02.738829000 -0700
@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@ extern regmatch_t regmatches[10];
 #endif
 
 extern int reverse_attr;
+extern int menu_color_pair[NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS];
+#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
+extern char* menu_colors[NUM_MENU_COLOR_PAIRS];
+#endif
 
 extern char *homedir;
 
@@ -562,6 +566,7 @@ void parse_magic_syntax(char *ptr);
 void parse_include(char *ptr);
 short color_to_short(const char *colorname, bool *bright);
 void parse_colors(char *ptr, bool icase);
+bool parse_color_string(const char *fgstr, short *fg, short *bg, bool *bright);
 void reset_multis(filestruct *fileptr, bool force);
 void alloc_multidata_if_needed(filestruct *fileptr);
 #endif
diff -rupN original/src/rcfile.c new/src/rcfile.c
--- original/src/rcfile.c	2013-03-21 06:17:24.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/rcfile.c	2014-03-23 04:39:04.766932000 -0700
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ static const rcoption rcopts[] = {
     {"wordbounds", WORD_BOUNDS},
     {"softwrap", SOFTWRAP},
 #endif
+#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
+    {"focuscolor", 0},
+    {"menucolor", 0},
+    {"titlecolor", 0},
+#endif
     {NULL, 0}
 };
 
@@ -717,34 +722,15 @@ short color_to_short(const char *colorna
     return mcolor;
 }
 
-/* Parse the color string in the line at ptr, and add it to the current
- * file's associated colors.  If icase is TRUE, treat the color string
- * as case insensitive. */
-void parse_colors(char *ptr, bool icase)
+bool parse_color_string(const char *fgstr, short *fg, short *bg, bool *bright)
 {
-    short fg, bg;
-    bool bright = FALSE, no_fgcolor = FALSE;
-    char *fgstr;
-
-    assert(ptr != NULL);
-
-    if (syntaxes == NULL) {
-	rcfile_error(
-		N_("Cannot add a color command without a syntax command"));
-	return;
-    }
-
-    if (*ptr == '\0') {
-	rcfile_error(N_("Missing color name"));
-	return;
-    }
-
-    fgstr = ptr;
-    ptr = parse_next_word(ptr);
+	bool no_fgcolor = FALSE;
 
+	
+	if (fgstr == NULL) return false;
+		
     if (strchr(fgstr, ',') != NULL) {
 	char *bgcolorname;
-
 	strtok(fgstr, ",");
 	bgcolorname = strtok(NULL, ",");
 	if (bgcolorname == NULL) {
@@ -757,20 +743,49 @@ void parse_colors(char *ptr, bool icase)
 	    rcfile_error(
 		N_("Background color \"%s\" cannot be bright"),
 		bgcolorname);
-	    return;
+	    return false;
 	}
-	bg = color_to_short(bgcolorname, &bright);
+	*bg = color_to_short(bgcolorname, bright);
     } else
-	bg = -1;
+	*bg = -1;
 
     if (!no_fgcolor) {
-	fg = color_to_short(fgstr, &bright);
+	*fg = color_to_short(fgstr, bright);
 
 	/* Don't try to parse screwed-up foreground colors. */
-	if (fg == -1)
-	    return;
+	if (*fg == -1)
+	    return false;
     } else
-	fg = -1;
+	*fg = -1;
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+/* Parse the color string in the line at ptr, and add it to the current
+ * file's associated colors.  If icase is TRUE, treat the color string
+ * as case insensitive. */
+void parse_colors(char *ptr, bool icase)
+{
+    short fg, bg;
+    bool bright = FALSE;
+    char *fgstr;
+
+    assert(ptr != NULL);
+
+    if (syntaxes == NULL) {
+	rcfile_error(
+		N_("Cannot add a color command without a syntax command"));
+	return;
+    }
+
+    if (*ptr == '\0') {
+	rcfile_error(N_("Missing color name"));
+	return;
+    }
+
+    fgstr = ptr;
+    ptr = parse_next_word(ptr);
+    if (!parse_color_string(fgstr, &fg, &bg, &bright)) return;
 
     if (*ptr == '\0') {
 	rcfile_error(N_("Missing regex string"));
@@ -1102,6 +1117,16 @@ void parse_rcfile(FILE *rcstream
 			    break;
 			}
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
+			bool *bright;
+			if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "focuscolor") == 0)
+			    menu_colors[FOCUS_COLOR] = option;
+			else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "menucolor") == 0)
+			    menu_colors[MENU_COLOR] = option;			    
+			else if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "titlecolor") == 0)
+			    menu_colors[TITLE_COLOR] = option;			    
+			else
+#endif
 #ifndef DISABLE_OPERATINGDIR
 			if (strcasecmp(rcopts[i].name, "operatingdir") == 0)
 			    operating_dir = option;
@@ -1311,9 +1336,6 @@ void do_rcfile(void)
 	    ;
     }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_COLOR
-    set_colorpairs();
-#endif
 }
 
 #endif /* ENABLE_NANORC */
diff -rupN original/src/winio.c new/src/winio.c
--- original/src/winio.c	2013-03-21 06:17:46.000000000 -0700
+++ new/src/winio.c	2014-03-23 04:55:22.763436000 -0700
@@ -2113,7 +2113,7 @@ void titlebar(const char *path)
 
     assert(path != NULL || openfile->filename != NULL);
 
-    wattron(topwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattron(topwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     blank_titlebar();
 
@@ -2244,7 +2244,7 @@ void titlebar(const char *path)
 	}
     }
 
-    wattroff(topwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattroff(topwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     wnoutrefresh(topwin);
     reset_cursor();
@@ -2313,12 +2313,12 @@ void statusbar(const char *msg, ...)
     start_x = (COLS - foo_len - 4) / 2;
 
     wmove(bottomwin, 0, start_x);
-    wattron(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattron(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[FOCUS_COLOR]);
     waddstr(bottomwin, "[ ");
     waddstr(bottomwin, foo);
     free(foo);
     waddstr(bottomwin, " ]");
-    wattroff(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattroff(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[FOCUS_COLOR]);
     wnoutrefresh(bottomwin);
     reset_cursor();
     wnoutrefresh(edit);
@@ -2418,9 +2418,9 @@ void onekey(const char *keystroke, const
 
     assert(keystroke != NULL && desc != NULL);
 
-    wattron(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattron(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
     waddnstr(bottomwin, keystroke, actual_x(keystroke, len));
-    wattroff(bottomwin, reverse_attr);
+    wattroff(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[TITLE_COLOR]);
 
     if (len > keystroke_len)
 	len -= keystroke_len;
@@ -2428,8 +2428,10 @@ void onekey(const char *keystroke, const
 	len = 0;
 
     if (len > 0) {
+    wattron(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[MENU_COLOR]);
 	waddch(bottomwin, ' ');
 	waddnstr(bottomwin, desc, actual_x(desc, len));
+    wattroff(bottomwin, menu_color_pair[MENU_COLOR]);
     }
 }