diff --git a/src/MessagesVC.mm b/src/MessagesVC.mm
index a38ba67..a44ba20 100644
--- a/src/MessagesVC.mm
+++ b/src/MessagesVC.mm
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@
 
     NSMutableAttributedString* msgAttString =
     [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@\n",qIdx.data((int)Qt::DisplayRole).toString().toNSString()]
-                                           attributes:[self messageAttributesFor:qIdx]];
+                                           attributes:[self messageAttributes]];
 
     NSAttributedString* timestampAttrString =
     [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:qIdx.data((int)Media::TextRecording::Role::FormattedDate).toString().toNSString()
-                                    attributes:[self timestampAttributesFor:qIdx]];
+                                    attributes:[self timestampAttributes]];
 
 
     CGFloat finalWidth = MAX(msgAttString.size.width, timestampAttrString.size.width);
@@ -143,10 +143,10 @@
     double someWidth = outlineView.frame.size.width * 0.7;
 
     NSMutableAttributedString* msgAttString = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@\n",qIdx.data((int)Qt::DisplayRole).toString().toNSString()]
-                                                                                     attributes:[self messageAttributesFor:qIdx]];
+                                                                                     attributes:[self messageAttributes]];
     NSAttributedString *timestampAttrString = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:
                                                qIdx.data((int)Media::TextRecording::Role::FormattedDate).toString().toNSString()
-                                                                              attributes:[self timestampAttributesFor:qIdx]];
+                                                                              attributes:[self timestampAttributes]];
 
     [msgAttString appendAttributedString:timestampAttrString];
 
@@ -163,17 +163,10 @@
 
 #pragma mark - Text formatting
 
-- (NSMutableDictionary*) timestampAttributesFor:(QModelIndex) qIdx
+- (NSMutableDictionary*) timestampAttributes
 {
-    auto dir = qvariant_cast<Media::Media::Direction>(qIdx.data((int)Media::TextRecording::Role::Direction));
     NSMutableDictionary* attrs = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
-
-    if (dir == Media::Media::Direction::IN) {
-        attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor grayColor];
-    } else {
-        attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor whiteColor];
-    }
-
+    attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor grayColor];
     NSFont* systemFont = [NSFont systemFontOfSize:12.0f];
     attrs[NSFontAttributeName] = systemFont;
     attrs[NSParagraphStyleAttributeName] = [self paragraphStyle];
@@ -181,17 +174,10 @@
     return attrs;
 }
 
-- (NSMutableDictionary*) messageAttributesFor:(QModelIndex) qIdx
+- (NSMutableDictionary*) messageAttributes
 {
-    auto dir = qvariant_cast<Media::Media::Direction>(qIdx.data((int)Media::TextRecording::Role::Direction));
     NSMutableDictionary* attrs = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
-
-    if (dir == Media::Media::Direction::IN) {
-        attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor blackColor];
-    } else {
-        attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor whiteColor];
-    }
-
+    attrs[NSForegroundColorAttributeName] = [NSColor blackColor];
     NSFont* systemFont = [NSFont systemFontOfSize:14.0f];
     attrs[NSFontAttributeName] = systemFont;
     attrs[NSParagraphStyleAttributeName] = [self paragraphStyle];
diff --git a/src/views/IMTableCellView.mm b/src/views/IMTableCellView.mm
index 4b8bd07..e8e874f 100644
--- a/src/views/IMTableCellView.mm
+++ b/src/views/IMTableCellView.mm
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 {
     if ([self.identifier isEqualToString:@"RightMessageView"]) {
         self.msgBackground.pointerDirection = RIGHT;
-        self.msgBackground.bgColor = [NSColor ringBlue];
+        self.msgBackground.bgColor = [NSColor ringLightBlue];
 
     }
     else {
diff --git a/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.h b/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.h
index 08d145b..b0b0b7f 100644
--- a/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.h
+++ b/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 @interface NSColor (RingTheme)
 
 + (NSColor*) ringBlue;
++ (NSColor*) ringLightBlue;
 + (NSColor*) ringBlueWithAlpha:(CGFloat) a;
 
 + (NSColor*) ringDarkBlue;
diff --git a/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.mm b/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.mm
index 1090e95..cecf14e 100644
--- a/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.mm
+++ b/src/views/NSColor+RingTheme.mm
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@
     return [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:41/255.0 green:41/255.0 blue:41/255.0 alpha:1.0];
 }
 
++ (NSColor*) ringLightBlue
+{
+return [NSColor colorWithCalibratedRed:59/255.0 green:193/255.0 blue:211/255.0 alpha:0.3];
+}
+
 - (NSColor *)lightenColorByValue:(float)value {
     float red = [self redComponent];
     red += value;