diff --git a/planetstack/core/static/shell/constants.js b/planetstack/core/static/shell/constants.js
index 5231cda..97b690a 100644
--- a/planetstack/core/static/shell/constants.js
+++ b/planetstack/core/static/shell/constants.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
         linePrompt += "<span class='prompt'>.</span>";
       }
     }
-    return "<div class='line'>" +
+    return "<div class='terminal_line'>" +
            linePrompt +
            "<input type='text' class='readLine active' />" +
            "</div>";
diff --git a/planetstack/core/static/shell/opencloud_shell.css b/planetstack/core/static/shell/opencloud_shell.css
index 97df0a2..4a24cf0 100644
--- a/planetstack/core/static/shell/opencloud_shell.css
+++ b/planetstack/core/static/shell/opencloud_shell.css
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
   margin:50px auto 50px auto;
   border: 1px solid black;
   height: 400px;
-  background: black;
+  background: #002b36;
   overflow: scroll;
 }
 
-#terminal div.line {
+#terminal div.terminal_line {
   width: 940px;
   margin-bottom: 5px;
 }
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@
   border: none;
   display: inline;
   padding: 2px;
-  background: black;
-  color: #45FF17;
-  font-size: 18px;
-  font-family: Monaco, monospace;
+  background: #002b36;
+  color: #839496;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  font-family: Menlo, Monaco, 'Andale Mono', 'lucida console', 'Courier New', monospace;
   border-radius:0;
 }
 
@@ -31,17 +31,17 @@
 
 #terminal p {
   margin: 2px;
-  color: #45FF17;
-  font-size: 18px;
-  font-family: Monaco, serif;
+  color: #839496;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  font-family: Menlo, Monaco, 'Andale Mono', 'lucida console', 'Courier New', monospace;
 }
 
 .terminal_help {
   margin: 2px;
-  color: #45FF17;
-  font-size: 18px;
-  font-family: Monaco, serif;
-  background:black;
+  color: #839496;
+  font-size: 15px;
+  font-family: Menlo, Monaco, 'Andale Mono', 'lucida console', 'Courier New', monospace;
+  background: #002b36;
   padding:0;
   line-height:normal;
 }
@@ -51,7 +51,35 @@
 }
 
 #terminal span.prompt {
-  color: #45FF17;
+  color: #839496;
   font-size: 16px;
   margin-left: 2px;
 }
+
+/* an experiment with syntax hilighting */
+
+.terminal_string {
+    /*color:green; */
+    color:#859900;
+}
+
+.terminal_number {
+    /*color:darkorange;*/
+    color:#d33682;
+}
+
+.terminal_boolean {
+    /*color:blue;*/
+    color:#7777A0;
+}
+
+.terminal_null {
+    /*color:magenta;*/
+    color:#A000A0;
+}
+
+.terminal_key {
+    /*color:red;*/
+    color:#268bd2;
+}
+