diff --git a/resources/colors/colorResources.properties b/resources/colors/colorResources.properties
index 1ce26f81a..172594252 100644
--- a/resources/colors/colorResources.properties
+++ b/resources/colors/colorResources.properties
@@ -109,9 +109,12 @@ splashScreenTitleColor=375684
 # Background color for the contact list background.
 contactListBackground=FFFFFF
 
-# File menu foreground color
+# Main menu foreground color
 mainMenuForeground=333333
 
+# Chat menu foreground color
+chatMenuBarForeground=333333
+
 # Logo bar background color
 logoBarBackground=FFFFFF
 
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/EditMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/EditMenu.java
index a93602409..4bc97fe22 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/EditMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/EditMenu.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.menus;
 
+import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ public EditMenu(ChatWindow chatWindow) {
 
         this.chatWindow = chatWindow;
 
+        this.setForeground(new Color(
+            ColorProperties.getColor("chatMenuBarForeground")));
+
         this.cutMenuItem.setName("cut");
         this.copyMenuItem.setName("copy");
         this.pasteMenuItem.setName("paste");
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/FileMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/FileMenu.java
index f36b23b8f..dfb26a1a8 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/FileMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/FileMenu.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.menus;
 
+import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
@@ -51,9 +52,12 @@ public class FileMenu extends SIPCommMenu
     public FileMenu(ChatWindow parentWindow) {
 
         super(Messages.getI18NString("file").getText());
-        
+
         this.parentWindow = parentWindow;
 
+        this.setForeground(new Color(
+            ColorProperties.getColor("chatMenuBarForeground")));
+
         this.add(saveMenuItem);
         this.add(printMenuItem);
 
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/HelpMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/HelpMenu.java
index 499681b6a..9bb2e57d4 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/HelpMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/HelpMenu.java
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.menus;
 
-import java.awt.Component;
+import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.i18n.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.utils.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.service.gui.UIService;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.service.gui.event.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.*;
@@ -48,7 +49,8 @@ public HelpMenu(ChatWindow chatWindow) {
 
         this.chatWindow = chatWindow;
 
-        this.chatWindow = chatWindow;
+        this.setForeground(new Color(
+            ColorProperties.getColor("chatMenuBarForeground")));
 
         this.setMnemonic(Messages.getI18NString("help").getMnemonic());
 
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/MessageWindowMenuBar.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/MessageWindowMenuBar.java
index 74465ef22..72217f64f 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/MessageWindowMenuBar.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/MessageWindowMenuBar.java
@@ -7,10 +7,13 @@
 
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.menus;
 
+import java.awt.*;
+
 import javax.swing.*;
 
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.customcontrols.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.utils.*;
 /**
  * The <tt>MessageWindowMenuBar</tt> is the menu bar in the chat window where 
  * all menus are added.
@@ -78,4 +81,19 @@ public SIPCommMenu getSelectedMenu()
         }
         return null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Paints the MENU_BACKGROUND image on the background of this container.
+     * 
+     * @param g the Graphics object that does the painting
+     */
+    public void paintComponent(Graphics g)
+    {
+        super.paintComponent(g);
+
+        Image backgroundImage
+            = ImageLoader.getImage(ImageLoader.MENU_BACKGROUND);
+
+        g.drawImage(backgroundImage, 0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight(), null);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/SettingsMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/SettingsMenu.java
index cdb6712cf..29ac1e08f 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/SettingsMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/menus/SettingsMenu.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat.menus;
 
+import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
@@ -23,27 +24,26 @@ public class SettingsMenu
     extends SIPCommMenu
     implements  ActionListener
 {
-    
     private I18NString typingNotifString
         = Messages.getI18NString("enableTypingNotifications");
-    
+
     private I18NString useCtrlEnterString
         = Messages.getI18NString("useCtrlEnterToSend");
-    
+
     private I18NString autoPopupString
         = Messages.getI18NString("autoPopup");
 
     private JCheckBoxMenuItem typingNotificationsItem 
         = new JCheckBoxMenuItem(typingNotifString.getText());
-        
+
     private JCheckBoxMenuItem sendingMessageCommandItem 
         = new JCheckBoxMenuItem(useCtrlEnterString.getText());
-    
+
     private JCheckBoxMenuItem autoPopupItem 
         = new JCheckBoxMenuItem(autoPopupString.getText());
-    
+
     private ChatWindow chatWindow;
-    
+
     /**
      * Creates an instance of <tt>SettingsMenu</tt> by specifying the
      * <tt>ChatWindow</tt>.
@@ -53,46 +53,48 @@ public class SettingsMenu
     public SettingsMenu(ChatWindow chatWindow)
     {
         super(Messages.getI18NString("settings").getText());
-        
+
         this.chatWindow = chatWindow;
-        
+
+        this.setForeground(new Color(
+            ColorProperties.getColor("chatMenuBarForeground")));
+
         typingNotificationsItem.setName("typingNotifications");
         sendingMessageCommandItem.setName("sendingMessageCommand");
         autoPopupItem.setName("autopopup");
-        
+
         this.setMnemonic(Messages.getI18NString("settings").getMnemonic());
-        
+
         this.typingNotificationsItem.setMnemonic(
             typingNotifString.getMnemonic());
-        
+
         this.sendingMessageCommandItem.setMnemonic(
             useCtrlEnterString.getMnemonic());
-        
+
         this.autoPopupItem.setMnemonic(
             autoPopupString.getMnemonic());
-                
+
         this.add(typingNotificationsItem);
         this.add(sendingMessageCommandItem);
         this.add(autoPopupItem);
-        
+
         this.typingNotificationsItem.addActionListener(this);
         this.sendingMessageCommandItem.addActionListener(this);
         this.autoPopupItem.addActionListener(this);
-        
+
         this.autoPopupItem.setSelected(
                 ConfigurationManager.isAutoPopupNewMessage());
-        
+
         this.typingNotificationsItem.setSelected(
                 ConfigurationManager.isSendTypingNotifications());
-        
+
         if(ConfigurationManager.getSendMessageCommand()
-                == ConfigurationManager.ENTER_COMMAND)   
+                == ConfigurationManager.ENTER_COMMAND)
             this.sendingMessageCommandItem.setSelected(true);
         else
             this.sendingMessageCommandItem.setSelected(false);
-        
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Handles the <tt>ActionEvent</tt> when one of the menu items is selected.
      */