diff --git a/baseelement.go b/baseelement.go
index 2180fd0..f67c554 100644
--- a/baseelement.go
+++ b/baseelement.go
@@ -24,13 +24,25 @@ func renderText(w io.Writer, rules *ElementStyle, s string) {
 
 	if rules != nil {
 		if rules.Color != "" {
-			i, err := strconv.Atoi(rules.Color)
+			var i int
+			var err error
+			if rules.Color[0] == '#' {
+				i, err = hexToANSIColor(rules.Color)
+			} else {
+				i, err = strconv.Atoi(rules.Color)
+			}
 			if err == nil && i >= 0 && i <= 255 {
 				out = out.Index(uint8(i))
 			}
 		}
 		if rules.BackgroundColor != "" {
-			i, err := strconv.Atoi(rules.BackgroundColor)
+			var i int
+			var err error
+			if rules.BackgroundColor[0] == '#' {
+				i, err = hexToANSIColor(rules.BackgroundColor)
+			} else {
+				i, err = strconv.Atoi(rules.BackgroundColor)
+			}
 			if err == nil && i >= 0 && i <= 255 {
 				out = out.BgIndex(uint8(i))
 			}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c574dd0..2bc196d 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.13
 require (
 	github.com/alecthomas/chroma v0.7.0
 	github.com/logrusorgru/aurora v0.0.0-20191017060258-dc85c304c434
+	github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.0.3
 	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.10
 	github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.7
 	github.com/microcosm-cc/bluemonday v1.0.2
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 9a8364e..5936f7e 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0/go.mod h1:PxqpIevigyE2G7u3NXJIT2ANyt
 github.com/jessevdk/go-flags v1.4.0/go.mod h1:4FA24M0QyGHXBuZZK/XkWh8h0e1EYbRYJSGM75WSRxI=
 github.com/logrusorgru/aurora v0.0.0-20191017060258-dc85c304c434 h1:im9kkmH0WWwxzegiv18gSUJbuXR9y028rXrWuPp6Jug=
 github.com/logrusorgru/aurora v0.0.0-20191017060258-dc85c304c434/go.mod h1:7rIyQOR62GCctdiQpZ/zOJlFyk6y+94wXzv6RNZgaR4=
+github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.0.3 h1:QIbQXiugsb+q10B+MI+7DI1oQLdmnep86tWFlaaUAac=
+github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.0.3/go.mod h1:R4dSotOR9KMtayYi1e77YzuveK+i7ruzyGqttikkLy0=
 github.com/magiconair/properties v1.8.0/go.mod h1:PppfXfuXeibc/6YijjN8zIbojt8czPbwD3XqdrwzmxQ=
 github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.0.9/go.mod h1:9vuHe8Xs5qXnSaW/c/ABM9alt+Vo+STaOChaDxuIBZU=
 github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.4/go.mod h1:M+lRXTBqGeGNdLjl/ufCoiOlB5xdOkqRJdNxMWT7Zi4=
diff --git a/style.go b/style.go
index 4fbbe6d..dd41a5f 100644
--- a/style.go
+++ b/style.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package gold
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful"
 )
 
 type StyleType int
@@ -81,6 +83,56 @@ func cascadeStyle(parent *ElementStyle, child *ElementStyle) *ElementStyle {
 	return &s
 }
 
+func hexToANSIColor(h string) (int, error) {
+	c, err := colorful.Hex(h)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	v2ci := func(v float64) int {
+		if v < 48 {
+			return 0
+		}
+		if v < 115 {
+			return 1
+		}
+		return int((v - 35) / 40)
+	}
+
+	// Calculate the nearest 0-based color index at 16..231
+	r := v2ci(c.R * 255.0) // 0..5 each
+	g := v2ci(c.G * 255.0)
+	b := v2ci(c.B * 255.0)
+	ci := 36*r + 6*g + b /* 0..215 */
+
+	// Calculate the represented colors back from the index
+	i2cv := [6]int{0, 0x5f, 0x87, 0xaf, 0xd7, 0xff}
+	cr := i2cv[r] // r/g/b, 0..255 each
+	cg := i2cv[g]
+	cb := i2cv[b]
+
+	// Calculate the nearest 0-based gray index at 232..255
+	var grayIdx int
+	average := (r + g + b) / 3
+	if average > 238 {
+		grayIdx = 23
+	} else {
+		grayIdx = (average - 3) / 10 // 0..23
+	}
+	gv := 8 + 10*grayIdx // same value for r/g/b, 0..255
+
+	// Return the one which is nearer to the original input rgb value
+	c2 := colorful.Color{float64(cr) / 255.0, float64(cg) / 255.0, float64(cb) / 255.0}
+	g2 := colorful.Color{float64(gv) / 255.0, float64(gv) / 255.0, float64(gv) / 255.0}
+	colorDist := c.DistanceLab(c2)
+	grayDist := c.DistanceLab(g2)
+
+	if colorDist <= grayDist {
+		return 16 + ci, nil
+	}
+	return 232 + grayIdx, nil
+}
+
 func keyToType(key string) (StyleType, error) {
 	switch key {
 	case "document":