Another possibility is that AppStylist is overriding the colors you are setting. Are you loading a style library into your application? Search the code for a call to StyleManager.Load.

Hi Mike, I have the same problem as Wolfgang. I turned the UseOSThemes to false and still can't change anything.

Do you have other advice for me? 

thank you! 

Hello,

If you want to set the ClientArea's BackColor so it always looks like the default color, yet still matches the color based on the OS Theme, you can set it to SystemColors.Control. I believe that under most styles we look at SystemColors.

In regards to the approach of setting and image for the TabItem, try assigning the image to the ImageBackground property which should completely cover the UIElement.

I hope this helps.

Chris

Got a little closer - however I'd still like the client area to be the default color but my tab header is still not correct.  I am displaying an image and text in the tab header but the new background color set for the tab only appears as a thin border with the rest of the tab remaining the original color???

Is it possible to just set the tab client area to the 'default' color as surely this will change depending on the skin/OS?