I'm trying to develop/write my own theme which is doing more or less what I want, except for 'tabbar'. This is what I have - --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- '(tabbar-selected-highlight ((t (:background "black" :foreground "red" :height 85)))) '(tabbar-selected-modified ((t (:background "black" :foreground "red" :weight bold :height 85)))) '(tabbar-default ((t (:inherit variable-pitch :background "gray" :foreground "black" :weight bold :height 85)))) '(tabbar-selected ((t (:inherit tabbar-default :background "black" :foreground "red" :weight bold :height 85)))) '(tabbar-modified ((t (:background "black" :foreground "red" :weight bold :height 85))))) --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- And what I'm looking for in the tab of the buffer that I'm in is a black background with red text. But its not happening, instead what I'm getting is red text on a light green background. But, in buffers like *org-agenda-mode* or *org-agenda* it is showing _exactly_ what I'm looking for. Red text on a black background. Tabbar default is black text on a light-green background, and this seems to be the code-source for it as its the only place where 'green' is mentioned, from "tabbar.el" - --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- (defface tabbar-modified '((t :inherit tabbar-default :box (:line-width 1 :color "white" :style released-button) :foreground "green" )) "Face used for unsaved tabs." :group 'tabbar) --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- and tabbar-default is - --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- (defface tabbar-default '( ;;(((class color grayscale) (background light)) ;; :inherit variable-pitch ;; :height 0.8 ;; :foreground "gray50" ;; :background "grey75" ;; ) (((class color grayscale) (background dark)) :inherit variable-pitch :height 0.8 :foreground "grey75" :background "gray50" ) (((class mono) (background light)) :inherit variable-pitch :height 0.8 :foreground "black" :background "white" ) (((class mono) (background dark)) :inherit variable-pitch :height 0.8 :foreground "white" :background "black" ) (t :inherit variable-pitch :height 0.8 :foreground "gray50" :background "gray75" )) "Default face used in the tab bar." :group 'tabbar) --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- How can I achieve my goal please of red foreground on a black background for every tab/buffer that is currently in use, i.e. I'm writing in that buffer. Thanks Sharon. -- A taste of linux = http://www.sharons.org.uk my git repo = https://bitbucket.org/boudiccas/dots TGmeds = http://www.tgmeds.org.uk Debian testing, fluxbox 1.3.5, emacs 24.3.93.1