diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e15f5d..cf235a7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ Ensure you have your latest graphics card drivers installed before use.
 
 ## Contextual Hints
 
-![Example hint](hint.png)
+![Permissions hint](hint.png)
+![Colour hex hint](hint.colour.png)
 
 ## Built-in Powerline Fonts
 
diff --git a/gui/explain.go b/gui/explain.go
index a206b71..a8f7705 100644
--- a/gui/explain.go
+++ b/gui/explain.go
@@ -41,6 +41,6 @@ func (a *annotation) render(gui *GUI) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	gui.textbox(a.hint.StartX+1, a.hint.StartY+3, a.hint.Description)
+	gui.textbox(a.hint.StartX+1, a.hint.StartY+3, a.hint.Description, a.hint.ForegroundColour, a.hint.BackgroundColour)
 
 }
diff --git a/gui/gui.go b/gui/gui.go
index e9709c2..4a4e5aa 100644
--- a/gui/gui.go
+++ b/gui/gui.go
@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@ Buffer Size: %d lines
 					gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().ViewWidth(),
 					gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().ViewHeight(),
 					gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().Height(),
-				))
+				),
+					[3]float32{0, 1, 0},
+					[3]float32{0, 0, 0},
+				)
 			}
 
 			gui.window.SwapBuffers()
diff --git a/gui/mouse.go b/gui/mouse.go
index 208bdfa..99aba12 100644
--- a/gui/mouse.go
+++ b/gui/mouse.go
@@ -27,13 +27,11 @@ func (gui *GUI) mouseMoveCallback(w *glfw.Window, xpos float64, ypos float64) {
 		gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().EndSelection(x, y, false)
 	} else {
 
-		if gui.terminal.UsingMainBuffer() {
-			hint := gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().GetHintAtPosition(x, y)
-			if hint != nil {
-				gui.setOverlay(newAnnotation(hint))
-			} else {
-				gui.setOverlay(nil)
-			}
+		hint := gui.terminal.ActiveBuffer().GetHintAtPosition(x, y)
+		if hint != nil {
+			gui.setOverlay(newAnnotation(hint))
+		} else {
+			gui.setOverlay(nil)
 		}
 
 	}
diff --git a/gui/overlays.go b/gui/overlays.go
index 0aa996f..e1d32dc 100644
--- a/gui/overlays.go
+++ b/gui/overlays.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ func (gui *GUI) setOverlay(m overlay) {
 }
 
 func (gui *GUI) renderOverlay() {
-	if gui.overlay == nil || !gui.terminal.UsingMainBuffer() {
+	if gui.overlay == nil {
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/gui/textbox.go b/gui/textbox.go
index 9fe6dd2..c56c526 100644
--- a/gui/textbox.go
+++ b/gui/textbox.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/liamg/aminal/buffer"
 )
 
-func (gui *GUI) textbox(col uint16, row uint16, text string) {
+func (gui *GUI) textbox(col uint16, row uint16, text string, fg [3]float32, bg [3]float32) {
 
 	lines := []string{}
 	line := ""
@@ -81,18 +81,16 @@ DONE:
 
 	gui.renderer.Clean()
 
-	bg := [3]float32{0, 0, 0}
-
-	for hx := col; hx < col+uint16(longestLine)+2; hx++ {
+	for hx := col; hx < col+uint16(longestLine)+1; hx++ {
 		for hy := row - 1; hy < row+uint16(len(lines))+1; hy++ {
-			gui.renderer.DrawCellBg(buffer.NewBackgroundCell(bg), uint(hx), uint(hy), false, nil , true)
+			gui.renderer.DrawCellBg(buffer.NewBackgroundCell(bg), uint(hx), uint(hy), false, nil, true)
 		}
 	}
 
 	x := float32(col) * gui.renderer.cellWidth
 
 	f := gui.fontMap.GetFont('X')
-	f.SetColor(0.2, 1, 0.2, 1)
+	f.SetColor(fg[0], fg[1], fg[2], 1)
 
 	for i, line := range lines {
 		y := float32(row+1+uint16(i)) * gui.renderer.cellHeight
diff --git a/hint.colour.png b/hint.colour.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0ec105
Binary files /dev/null and b/hint.colour.png differ
diff --git a/hints/colours.go b/hints/colours.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac9fb9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hints/colours.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package hints
+
+import (
+	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	hinters = append(hinters, hintColours)
+}
+
+func hintColours(word string, context string, wordX uint16, wordY uint16) *Hint {
+
+	item := NewHint(word, context, wordX, wordY)
+
+	if isColour(word) {
+
+		r, err := strconv.ParseInt(word[1:3], 16, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		g, err := strconv.ParseInt(word[3:5], 16, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		b, err := strconv.ParseInt(word[5:7], 16, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		item.Description = word
+		item.BackgroundColour = [3]float32{float32(r) / 255, float32(g) / 255, float32(b) / 255}
+		if (r+g+b)/3 < 128 {
+			item.ForegroundColour = [3]float32{1, 1, 1}
+		} else {
+			item.ForegroundColour = [3]float32{0, 0, 0}
+		}
+		return item
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func isColour(s string) bool {
+	re := regexp.MustCompile("#[0-9A-Fa-f]{6}")
+	return re.MatchString(s)
+}
diff --git a/hints/hint.go b/hints/hint.go
index 89866a7..289053d 100644
--- a/hints/hint.go
+++ b/hints/hint.go
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package hints
 
 type Hint struct {
-	Word        string
-	StartX      uint16
-	StartY      uint16
-	Line        string
-	Description string
+	Word             string
+	StartX           uint16
+	StartY           uint16
+	Line             string
+	Description      string
+	BackgroundColour [3]float32
+	ForegroundColour [3]float32
 }
 
 type hinter func(word string, context string, wordX uint16, wordY uint16) *Hint
@@ -20,3 +22,14 @@ func Get(word string, context string, wordX uint16, wordY uint16) *Hint {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func NewHint(word string, context string, wordX uint16, wordY uint16) *Hint {
+	return &Hint{
+		Line:             context,
+		Word:             word,
+		StartX:           wordX,
+		StartY:           wordY,
+		BackgroundColour: [3]float32{0, 0, 0},
+		ForegroundColour: [3]float32{0.2, 1, 0.2},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hints/perms.go b/hints/perms.go
index 57454ce..49fc0fa 100644
--- a/hints/perms.go
+++ b/hints/perms.go
@@ -112,12 +112,7 @@ func init() {
 
 func hintPerms(word string, context string, wordX uint16, wordY uint16) *Hint {
 
-	item := &Hint{
-		Line:   context,
-		Word:   word,
-		StartX: wordX,
-		StartY: wordY,
-	}
+	item := NewHint(word, context, wordX, wordY)
 
 	if wordX == 0 {