diff --git a/color.h b/color.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af08084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/color.h
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#ifndef COLOR_H
+#define COLOR_H
+
+#include <ncurses.h>
+
+#define BORDERS_PRIMARY COLOR_BLACK
+#define BORDERS_SECONDARY COLOR_WHITE
+
+#define DEFAULT_PRIMARY COLOR_WHITE
+#define DEFAULT_SECONDARY COLOR_BLACK
+
+#define COMPLETED_PRIMARY COLOR_BLACK
+#define COMPLETED_SECONDARY COLOR_YELLOW
+
+#endif
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 1977985..b2998eb 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #include "engine/todo.h"
+#include "color.h"
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <ncurses.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ void initialize_curses(int *width, int *height) {
   *height = th;
 
   start_color();
-  init_pair(BORDERS_PAIR, COLOR_BLACK, COLOR_WHITE); 
-  init_pair(DEFAULT_PAIR, COLOR_WHITE, COLOR_BLACK);
-  init_pair(COMPLETED_PAIR, COLOR_BLACK, COLOR_GREEN);
+  init_pair(BORDERS_PAIR, BORDERS_PRIMARY, BORDERS_SECONDARY);
+  init_pair(DEFAULT_PAIR, DEFAULT_PRIMARY, DEFAULT_SECONDARY);
+  init_pair(COMPLETED_PAIR, COMPLETED_PRIMARY, COMPLETED_SECONDARY);
   // turn off echoing of keys, and enter cbreak mode,
   // where no buffering is performed on keyboard input
   cbreak();