diff --git a/src/demo/hud.c b/src/demo/hud.c
index ddf38aa84..62818cbe2 100644
--- a/src/demo/hud.c
+++ b/src/demo/hud.c
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ static int
 hud_standard_bg(struct ncplane* n){
   uint64_t channels = 0;
   channels_set_fg_alpha(&channels, CELL_ALPHA_BLEND);
-  channels_set_fg_rgb(&channels, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff);
+  channels_set_fg_rgb(&channels, 0x80, 0x80, 0x80);
   channels_set_bg_alpha(&channels, CELL_ALPHA_BLEND);
-  channels_set_bg_rgb(&channels, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff);
+  channels_set_bg_rgb(&channels, 0x80, 0x80, 0x80);
   if(ncplane_set_base(n, "", 0, channels) >= 0){
     return -1;
   }
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ hud_print_finished(elem* list){
       ncplane_base(hud, &c);
       ncplane_set_bg(hud, cell_bg(&c));
       ncplane_set_bg_alpha(hud, CELL_ALPHA_BLEND);
-      ncplane_set_fg(hud, 0);
+      ncplane_set_fg(hud, 0xffffff);
       ncplane_set_fg_alpha(hud, CELL_ALPHA_OPAQUE);
       cell_release(hud, &c);
       if(ncplane_printf_yx(hud, line, 1, "%d", e->frames) < 0){
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ int demo_render(struct notcurses* nc){
     ncplane_base(hud, &c);
     ncplane_set_bg(hud, cell_bg(&c));
     ncplane_set_bg_alpha(hud, CELL_ALPHA_BLEND);
-    ncplane_set_fg(hud, 0x002080);
+    ncplane_set_fg(hud, 0x80d0ff);
     ncplane_set_fg_alpha(hud, CELL_ALPHA_OPAQUE);
     cell_release(hud, &c);
     if(ncplane_printf_yx(hud, 1, 1, "%d", elems->frames) < 0){