diff --git a/windows/GNUfiles.mk b/windows/GNUfiles.mk
index 312b3b42..1f691503 100644
--- a/windows/GNUfiles.mk
+++ b/windows/GNUfiles.mk
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ CXXFILES += \
 	windows/box.cpp \
 	windows/button.cpp \
 	windows/checkbox.cpp \
+	windows/colorbutton.cpp \
 	windows/combobox.cpp \
 	windows/container.cpp \
 	windows/control.cpp \
diff --git a/windows/colorbutton.cpp b/windows/colorbutton.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ec59d16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/windows/colorbutton.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+// 16 may 2016
+#include "uipriv_windows.hpp"
+
+struct uiColorButton {
+	uiWindowsControl c;
+	HWND hwnd;
+	double r;
+	double g;
+	double b;
+	double a;
+	void (*onChanged)(uiColorButton *, void *);
+	void *onChangedData;
+};
+
+static void uiColorButtonDestroy(uiControl *c)
+{
+	uiColorButton *b = uiColorButton(c);
+
+	uiWindowsUnregisterWM_COMMANDHandler(b->hwnd);
+	uiWindowsUnregisterWM_NOTIFYHandler(b->hwnd);
+	uiWindowsEnsureDestroyWindow(b->hwnd);
+	uiFreeControl(uiControl(b));
+}
+
+static BOOL onWM_COMMAND(uiControl *c, HWND hwnd, WORD code, LRESULT *lResult)
+{
+	uiColorButton *b = uiColorButton(c);
+	HWND parent;
+
+	if (code != BN_CLICKED)
+		return FALSE;
+
+/* TODO
+	parent = GetAncestor(b->hwnd, GA_ROOT);		// TODO didn't we have a function for this
+	if (showColorDialog(parent, &(b->params))) {
+		updateColorButtonLabel(b);
+		(*(b->onChanged))(b, b->onChangedData);
+	}
+*/
+
+	*lResult = 0;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+static BOOL onWM_NOTIFY(uiControl *c, HWND hwnd, NMHDR *nmhdr, LRESULT *lResult)
+{
+	uiColorButton *b = uiColorButton(c);
+	NMCUSTOMDRAW *nm = (NMCUSTOMDRAW *) nmhdr;
+	RECT r;
+	uiWindowsSizing sizing;
+	int x, y;
+
+	if (nmhdr->code != NM_CUSTOMDRAW)
+		return FALSE;
+	// and allow the button to draw its background
+	if (nm->dwDrawStage != CDDS_PREPAINT)
+		return FALSE;
+
+	// TODO use Direct2D? either way, draw alpha
+	uiWindowsEnsureGetClientRect(b->hwnd, &r);
+	uiWindowsGetSizing(b->hwnd, &sizing);
+	x = 3;		// should be enough
+	y = 3;
+	uiWindowsSizingDlgUnitsToPixels(&sizing, &x, &y);
+	r.left += x;
+	r.top += y;
+	r.right -= x;
+	r.bottom -= y;
+	// TODO error check
+#define comp(x) ((BYTE) (x * 255))
+	// TODO free brush
+	FillRect(nm->hdc, &r, CreateSolidBrush(RGB(comp(b->r), comp(b->g), comp(b->b))));
+#undef comp
+
+	// skip default processing (don't draw text)
+	*lResult = CDRF_SKIPDEFAULT;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+uiWindowsControlAllDefaultsExceptDestroy(uiColorButton)
+
+// from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn742486.aspx#sizingandspacing
+#define buttonHeight 14
+
+static void uiColorButtonMinimumSize(uiWindowsControl *c, intmax_t *width, intmax_t *height)
+{
+	uiColorButton *b = uiColorButton(c);
+	SIZE size;
+	uiWindowsSizing sizing;
+	int y;
+
+	// try the comctl32 version 6 way
+	size.cx = 0;		// explicitly ask for ideal size
+	size.cy = 0;
+	if (SendMessageW(b->hwnd, BCM_GETIDEALSIZE, 0, (LPARAM) (&size)) != FALSE) {
+		*width = size.cx;
+		*height = size.cy;
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// that didn't work; fall back to using Microsoft's metrics
+	// Microsoft says to use a fixed width for all buttons; this isn't good enough
+	// use the text width instead, with some edge padding
+	*width = uiWindowsWindowTextWidth(b->hwnd) + (2 * GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXEDGE));
+	y = buttonHeight;
+	uiWindowsGetSizing(b->hwnd, &sizing);
+	uiWindowsSizingDlgUnitsToPixels(&sizing, NULL, &y);
+	*height = y;
+}
+
+static void defaultOnChanged(uiColorButton *b, void *data)
+{
+	// do nothing
+}
+
+void uiColorButtonColor(uiColorButton *b, double *r, double *g, double *bl, double *a)
+{
+	*r = b->r;
+	*g = b->g;
+	*bl = b->b;
+	*a = b->a;
+}
+
+void uiColorButtonSetColor(uiColorButton *b, double r, double g, double bl, double a)
+{
+	b->r = r;
+	b->g = g;
+	b->b = bl;
+	b->a = a;
+	// TODO don't we have a helper function for this?
+	InvalidateRect(b->hwnd, NULL, TRUE);
+}
+
+void uiColorButtonOnChanged(uiColorButton *b, void (*f)(uiColorButton *, void *), void *data)
+{
+	b->onChanged = f;
+	b->onChangedData = data;
+}
+
+uiColorButton *uiNewColorButton(void)
+{
+	uiColorButton *b;
+
+	uiWindowsNewControl(uiColorButton, b);
+
+	// initial color is black
+	b->r = 0.0;
+	b->g = 0.0;
+	b->b = 0.0;
+	b->a = 1.0;
+
+	b->hwnd = uiWindowsEnsureCreateControlHWND(0,
+		L"button", L" ",		// TODO; can't use "" TODO
+		BS_PUSHBUTTON | WS_TABSTOP,
+		hInstance, NULL,
+		TRUE);
+
+	uiWindowsRegisterWM_COMMANDHandler(b->hwnd, onWM_COMMAND, uiControl(b));
+	uiWindowsRegisterWM_NOTIFYHandler(b->hwnd, onWM_NOTIFY, uiControl(b));
+	uiColorButtonOnChanged(b, defaultOnChanged, NULL);
+
+	return b;
+}