diff --git a/core/default_settings/default_setting_edit.php b/core/default_settings/default_setting_edit.php
index a799d156ad..e40636dbaf 100644
--- a/core/default_settings/default_setting_edit.php
+++ b/core/default_settings/default_setting_edit.php
@@ -403,23 +403,6 @@ if (count($_POST) > 0 && strlen($_POST["persistformvar"]) == 0) {
 	}
 	elseif ($category == "provision" && $subcategory == "password" && $name == "var" ) {
 		echo "	<input class='formfld' type='password' name='default_setting_value' onmouseover=\"this.type='text';\" onfocus=\"this.type='text';\" onmouseout=\"if (!$(this).is(':focus')) { this.type='password'; }\" onblur=\"this.type='password';\" maxlength='255' value=\"".$row['default_setting_value']."\">\n";
-	}
-	elseif ($category == "theme" && $subcategory == "background_images" && $name == "var") {
-		echo "    <select class='formfld' name='default_setting_value'>\n";
-		echo "    <option value=''></option>\n";
-		if ($row['default_setting_value'] == "true") {
-		echo "    <option value='true' selected='selected'>".$text['label-true']."</option>\n";
-		}
-		else {
-		echo "    <option value='true'>".$text['label-true']."</option>\n";
-		}
-		if ($row['default_setting_value'] == "false") {
-		echo "    <option value='false' selected='selected'>".$text['label-false']."</option>\n";
-		}
-		else {
-		echo "    <option value='false'>".$text['label-false']."</option>\n";
-		}
-		echo "    </select>\n";
 	} else {
 		echo "	<input class='formfld' type='text' name='default_setting_value' maxlength='255' value=\"".$row['default_setting_value']."\">\n";
 	}
diff --git a/themes/enhanced/app_defaults.php b/themes/enhanced/app_defaults.php
index b7a00bc709..7c8bfeb2e9 100644
--- a/themes/enhanced/app_defaults.php
+++ b/themes/enhanced/app_defaults.php
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ if ($domains_processed == 1) {
 	//add theme settings default settings
 		$sql = "select count(*) as num_rows from v_default_settings ";
 		$sql .= "where default_setting_category = 'theme' ";
-		$sql .= "and default_setting_subcategory = 'background_images' ";
-		$sql .= "and default_setting_name = 'var' ";
 		$prep_statement = $db->prepare($sql);
 		if ($prep_statement) {
 			$prep_statement->execute();
@@ -39,15 +37,31 @@ if ($domains_processed == 1) {
 			if ($row['num_rows'] == 0) {
 				$x = 0;
 				$array[$x]['default_setting_category'] = 'theme';
-				$array[$x]['default_setting_subcategory'] = 'background_images';
-				$array[$x]['default_setting_name'] = 'var';
-				$array[$x]['default_setting_value'] = 'true';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_subcategory'] = 'background_image';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_name'] = 'text';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_value'] = '';
 				$array[$x]['default_setting_enabled'] = 'false';
-				$array[$x]['default_setting_description'] = 'Enable background images in the selected template (where available).';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_description'] = 'Specify a folder path or file path/url to enable background image(s) within a selected compatible template.';
+				$x++;
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_category'] = 'theme';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_subcategory'] = 'background_color_1';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_name'] = 'text';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_value'] = '#ffffff';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_enabled'] = 'false';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_description'] = 'Enter a background (HTML compatible) color.';
+				$x++;
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_category'] = 'theme';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_subcategory'] = 'background_color_2';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_name'] = 'text';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_value'] = '#f0f2f6';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_enabled'] = 'false';
+				$array[$x]['default_setting_description'] = 'Enter a secondary background (HTML compatible) color, for a gradient effect.';
 				$x++;
 				$orm = new orm;
 				$orm->name('default_settings');
 				$orm->save($array[0]);
+				$orm->save($array[1]);
+				$orm->save($array[2]);
 				$message = $orm->message;
 				//print_r($message);
 			}
diff --git a/themes/enhanced/template.php b/themes/enhanced/template.php
index 8e28e267a5..e3c02d7e37 100644
--- a/themes/enhanced/template.php
+++ b/themes/enhanced/template.php
@@ -59,7 +59,12 @@ DIV#page {
 	overflow: auto;
 }
 
-<?php if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_images']['var'] == 'true') { ?>
+<?php
+if (
+	isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text']) ||
+	isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']) ||
+	isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'])
+	) { ?>
 	/* Set the position and dimensions of the background image. */
 	DIV#page-background {
 		z-index: 0;
@@ -69,6 +74,25 @@ DIV#page {
 		width: 100%;
 		height: 100%;
 	}
+
+	<?php
+	if (
+		isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']) &&
+		isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'])
+		) {
+		?>
+		.page-background-gradient {
+			background-color: <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?>;
+			background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(top, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?> 0%, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?> 100%);
+			background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top , <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?> 0%, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?> 100%);
+			background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top , <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?> 0%, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?> 100%);
+			background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?>), color-stop(1, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?>));
+			background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top , <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?> 0%, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?> 100%);
+			background-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']?> 0%, <?php echo $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']?> 100%);
+		}
+		<?php
+	}
+	?>
 <?php } ?>
 
 img {
@@ -488,7 +512,14 @@ legend {
 	}
 
 	.main_content {
-		<?php if (strlen($_SESSION["username"]) > 0 && $_SESSION['theme']['background_images']['var'] == 'true') { ?>
+		<?php
+		if (
+			strlen($_SESSION["username"]) > 0 &&
+			(
+				isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text']) ||
+				isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']) ||
+				isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'])
+			)) { ?>
 			background-color: #FFFFFF;
 			background-attachment: fixed;
 			opacity: 0.93;
@@ -969,36 +1000,101 @@ legend {
 	?>
 
 	<?php
-	if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_images']['var'] == 'true') {
-		//get a random background image
-		$dir = $_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"].PROJECT_PATH.'/themes/enhanced/images/backgrounds';
-		$dir_list = opendir($dir);
-		$v_background_array = array();
-		$x = 0;
-		while (false !== ($file = readdir($dir_list))) {
-			if ($file != "." AND $file != ".."){
-				$new_path = $dir.'/'.$file;
-				$level = explode('/',$new_path);
-				if (substr($new_path, -4) == ".svn") {
-					//ignore .svn dir and subdir
-				}
-				elseif (substr($new_path, -3) == ".db") {
-					//ignore .db files
-				}
-				else {
-					$new_path = str_replace($_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"], "", $new_path);
-					$v_background_array[] = $new_path;
-				}
-				if ($x > 1000) { break; };
-				$x++;
+	// check for background image
+	if (isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'])) {
+		// background image is enabled
+		$image_extensions = array('jpg','jpeg','png','gif');
+
+		if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'] != '') {
+
+			// background image(s) specified, check if source is file or folder
+			if (in_array(strtolower(pathinfo($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'], PATHINFO_EXTENSION)), $image_extensions)) {
+				$image_source = 'file';
 			}
+			else {
+				$image_source = 'folder';
+			}
+
+			// is source (file/folder) local or remote
+			if (
+				substr($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'], 0, 4) == 'http'
+				) {
+				$source_path = $_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'];
+			}
+			else if (substr($_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'], 0, 1) == '/') { //
+				// use project path as root
+				$source_path = PROJECT_PATH.$_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'];
+			}
+			else {
+				// use theme images/backgrounds folder as root
+				$source_path = PROJECT_PATH.'/themes/enhanced/images/backgrounds/'.$_SESSION['theme']['background_image']['text'];
+			}
+
 		}
-		if (strlen($_SESSION['background_image'])== 0) {
-			$_SESSION['background_image'] = $v_background_array[array_rand($v_background_array, 1)];
+		else {
+			// not set, so use default backgrounds folder and images
+			$image_source = 'folder';
+			$source_path = PROJECT_PATH.'/themes/enhanced/images/backgrounds';
+		}
+
+		if ($image_source == 'folder') {
+			if (file_exists($_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"].$source_path)) {
+				// retrieve a random background image
+				$dir_list = opendir($_SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"].$source_path);
+				$v_background_array = array();
+				$x = 0;
+				while (false !== ($file = readdir($dir_list))) {
+					if ($file != "." AND $file != ".."){
+						$new_path = $dir.'/'.$file;
+						$level = explode('/',$new_path);
+						if (in_array(strtolower(pathinfo($new_path, PATHINFO_EXTENSION)), $image_extensions)) {
+							$v_background_array[] = $new_path;
+						}
+						if ($x > 100) { break; };
+						$x++;
+					}
+				}
+				if ($_SESSION['background_image'] == '' && sizeof($v_background_array) > 0) {
+					$_SESSION['background_image'] = PROJECT_PATH.$source_path.$v_background_array[array_rand($v_background_array, 1)];
+				}
+			}
+			else {
+				$_SESSION['background_image'] = '';
+			}
+
+		}
+		else if ($image_source == 'file') {
+			$_SESSION['background_image'] = $source_path;
 		}
 
 		//show the background
-		echo "<div id=\"page-background\"><img src=\"".$_SESSION['background_image']."\" width='100%' height='100%' alt=''></div>\n";
+		if ($_SESSION['background_image'] != '') {
+			echo "<div id='page-background'><img src=\"".$_SESSION['background_image']."\" width='100%' height='100%'></div>\n";
+		}
+
+	}
+
+	// check for background color
+	else if (
+		isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']) ||
+		isset($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'])
+		) { // background color 1 or 2 is enabled
+
+		echo "bg1 = ".$_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text']."<br><br>";
+		echo "bg2 = ".$_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text']."<br><br>";
+
+		if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text'] != '' && $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'] == '') { // use color 1
+			echo "<div id='page-background' style='background-color: ".$_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text'].";'>&nbsp;</div>\n";
+		}
+		else if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text'] == '' && $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'] != '') { // use color 2
+			echo "<div id='page-background' style='background-color: ".$_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'].";'>&nbsp;</div>\n";
+		}
+		else if ($_SESSION['theme']['background_color_1']['text'] != '' && $_SESSION['theme']['background_color_2']['text'] != '') { // vertical gradient
+			echo "<div id='page-background' class='page-background-gradient'>&nbsp;</div>\n";
+		}
+		else { // default: white
+			echo "<div id='page-background' style='background-color: #ffffff;'>&nbsp;</div>\n";
+		}
 	}
 	?>