diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b476765..9906f96 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ node_modules
 .env
 build/*
 !build/.gitkeep
+styles/terminal-colors.css
diff --git a/lib/atom-helper.coffee b/lib/atom-helper.coffee
index 6badbdc..363211f 100644
--- a/lib/atom-helper.coffee
+++ b/lib/atom-helper.coffee
@@ -34,3 +34,7 @@ module.exports =
     atom.packages.activatePackage(packageName()).then ->
       atom.menu.sortPackagesMenu()
 
+  reloadStylesheets: ->
+    pkg = atom.packages.getActivePackage(packageName())
+    pkg.reloadStylesheets()
+
diff --git a/lib/colors.coffee b/lib/colors.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d58bb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/colors.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+fs = require 'fs'
+path = require 'path'
+atomHelper = require './atom-helper'
+{name} = require '../package.json'
+
+module.exports = setTerminalColors = ->
+  # TODO: handle legacy config keys
+  text = atom.config.get("#{name}.basicColors.text")
+  background = atom.config.get("#{name}.basicColors.background")
+
+  css = """
+    .terminal {
+      color: #{text.toRGBAString()};
+    }
+
+    .terminal .xterm-viewport {
+      background-color: #{background.toRGBAString()};
+    }\n
+    """
+
+  for n in [0..15]
+    color = atom.config.get("#{name}.ansiColors.ansiColor#{n}")
+    rgba = color.toRGBAString()
+
+    css += """
+      \n.terminal .xterm-color-#{n} {
+        color: #{rgba};
+      }
+
+      .terminal .xterm-bg-color-#{n} {
+        background-color: #{rgba};
+      }\n
+      """
+
+  file = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'styles', 'terminal-colors.css')
+  fs.writeFile file, css, (err) ->
+    if err?
+      console.warn 'unable to write colors:', err
+
+    atomHelper.reloadStylesheets()
+
diff --git a/lib/learn-ide.coffee b/lib/learn-ide.coffee
index 637e1d2..76b7e83 100644
--- a/lib/learn-ide.coffee
+++ b/lib/learn-ide.coffee
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ config = require './config'
 updater = require './updater'
 version = require './version'
 {name} = require '../package.json'
+setTerminalColors = require './colors'
 
 ABOUT_URL = 'https://help.learn.co/hc/en-us/categories/204144547-The-Learn-IDE'
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ module.exports =
     @checkForV1WindowsInstall()
     @registerWindowsProtocol()
     @disableFormerPackage()
+    setTerminalColors()
 
     @subscriptions = new CompositeDisposable
     @subscribeToLogin()
@@ -107,11 +109,11 @@ module.exports =
       'learn-ide:decrease-font-size': => @termView.decreaseFontSize()
       'learn-ide:clear-terminal': => @term.send('')
 
-    atom.config.onDidChange "#{name}.terminalFontColor", ({newValue}) =>
-      @termView.updateFontColor(newValue)
+    atom.config.onDidChange "#{name}.basicColors", =>
+      setTerminalColors()
 
-    atom.config.onDidChange "#{name}.terminalBackgroundColor", ({newValue}) =>
-      @termView.updateBackgroundColor(newValue)
+    atom.config.onDidChange "#{name}.ansiColors", =>
+      setTerminalColors()
 
     atom.config.onDidChange "#{name}.notifier", ({newValue}) =>
       if newValue then @activateNotifier() else @notifier.deactivate()
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1338777..c389374 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -38,26 +38,6 @@
     "learn-ide-material-ui": "1.3.14",
     "learn-ide-tree": "1.0.22"
   },
-  "configSchema": {
-    "notifier": {
-      "type": "boolean",
-      "default": true,
-      "title": "Learn Status Notifications",
-      "description": "Receive desktop notifications that correspond to the lights on Learn.co"
-    },
-    "terminalFontColor": {
-      "type": "color",
-      "default": "#ffffff",
-      "title": "Terminal Font Color",
-      "description": "A valid CSS color value which will be used to style your terminal's font"
-    },
-    "terminalBackgroundColor": {
-      "type": "color",
-      "default": "#1A2226",
-      "title": "Terminal Background Color",
-      "description": "A valid CSS color value which will be used to style your terminal's background"
-    }
-  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "decompress": "4.0.0",
     "del": "2.2.2",
@@ -67,5 +47,136 @@
     "run-sequence": "1.2.2",
     "shelljs": "0.7.3",
     "ssh2": "0.5.0"
+  },
+  "configSchema": {
+    "notifier": {
+      "order": 0,
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "default": true,
+      "title": "Learn Status Notifications",
+      "description": "Receive desktop notifications that correspond to the lights on Learn.co"
+    },
+    "basicColors": {
+      "order": 1,
+      "title": "Terminal: Basic Colors",
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "text": {
+          "order": 0,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#ffffff",
+          "title": "Text"
+        },
+        "background": {
+          "order": 1,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#1A2226",
+          "title": "Background"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "ansiColors": {
+      "order": 2,
+      "title": "Terminal: ANSI Colors",
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "ansiColor0": {
+          "order": 0,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#2e3436",
+          "title": "Black"
+        },
+        "ansiColor1": {
+          "order": 1,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#cc0000",
+          "title": "Red"
+        },
+        "ansiColor2": {
+          "order": 2,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#4e9a06",
+          "title": "Green"
+        },
+        "ansiColor3": {
+          "order": 3,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#c4a000",
+          "title": "Yellow"
+        },
+        "ansiColor4": {
+          "order": 4,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#3465a4",
+          "title": "Blue"
+        },
+        "ansiColor5": {
+          "order": 5,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#75507b",
+          "title": "Magenta"
+        },
+        "ansiColor6": {
+          "order": 6,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#06989a",
+          "title": "Cyan"
+        },
+        "ansiColor7": {
+          "order": 7,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#d3d7cf",
+          "title": "White"
+        },
+        "ansiColor8": {
+          "order": 8,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#555753",
+          "title": "Bright Black"
+        },
+        "ansiColor9": {
+          "order": 9,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#ef2929",
+          "title": "Bright Red"
+        },
+        "ansiColor10": {
+          "order": 10,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#8ae234",
+          "title": "Bright Green"
+        },
+        "ansiColor11": {
+          "order": 11,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#fce94f",
+          "title": "Bright Yellow"
+        },
+        "ansiColor12": {
+          "order": 12,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#729fcf",
+          "title": "Bright Blue"
+        },
+        "ansiColor13": {
+          "order": 13,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#ad7fa8",
+          "title": "Bright Magenta"
+        },
+        "ansiColor14": {
+          "order": 14,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#34e2e2",
+          "title": "Bright Cyan"
+        },
+        "ansiColor15": {
+          "order": 15,
+          "type": "color",
+          "default": "#eeeeec",
+          "title": "Bright White"
+        }
+      }
+    }
   }
 }