diff --git a/_examples/colors.go b/_examples/colors.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50f0f8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/colors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Copyright 2014 The gocui Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+
+	"github.com/jroimartin/gocui"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	g := gocui.NewGui()
+	if err := g.Init(); err != nil {
+		log.Panicln(err)
+	}
+	defer g.Close()
+
+	g.SetLayout(layout)
+
+	if err := g.SetKeybinding("", gocui.KeyCtrlC, gocui.ModNone, quit); err != nil {
+		log.Panicln(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := g.MainLoop(); err != nil && err != gocui.ErrQuit {
+		log.Panicln(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func layout(g *gocui.Gui) error {
+	maxX, maxY := g.Size()
+	if v, err := g.SetView("hello", maxX/2-6, maxY/2-5, maxX/2+6, maxY/2+5); err != nil {
+		if err != gocui.ErrUnknownView {
+			return err
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;30;47mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;31mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;32mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;33mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;34mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;35mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;36mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;37mHello world")
+		fmt.Fprintln(v, "\x1b[0;30;41mHello world")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func quit(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
+	return gocui.ErrQuit
+}
diff --git a/escape.go b/escape.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3d6e2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/escape.go
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+// Copyright 2014 The gocui Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package gocui
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strconv"
+)
+
+type (
+	escapeState       int
+	interpreterReturn int
+)
+
+const (
+	stateNone escapeState = iota
+	stateEscape
+	stateCSI
+	stateParams
+)
+
+type escapeInterpreter struct {
+	state                          escapeState
+	curch                          rune
+	csiParam                       []string
+	curFgColor, curBgColor         Attribute
+	defaultFgColor, defaultBgColor Attribute
+}
+
+var (
+	errNotCSI        = errors.New("Not a CSI escape sequence")
+	errCSINotANumber = errors.New("CSI escape sequence was expecting a number or a ;")
+	errCSIParseError = errors.New("CSI escape sequence parsing error")
+	errCSITooLong    = errors.New("CSI escape sequence is too long")
+)
+
+// runes in case of error will output the non-parsed runes as a string.
+func (ei *escapeInterpreter) runes() []rune {
+	switch ei.state {
+	case stateNone:
+		return []rune{0x1b}
+	case stateEscape:
+		return []rune{0x1b, ei.curch}
+	case stateCSI:
+		return []rune{0x1b, '[', ei.curch}
+	case stateParams:
+		ret := []rune{0x1b, '['}
+		for _, s := range ei.csiParam {
+			ret = append(ret, []rune(s)...)
+			ret = append(ret, ';')
+		}
+		return append(ret, ei.curch)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// newEscapeInterpreter returns an escapeInterpreter that will be able to parse
+// terminal escape sequences.
+func newEscapeInterpreter() *escapeInterpreter {
+	ei := &escapeInterpreter{
+		defaultFgColor: ColorWhite,
+		defaultBgColor: ColorBlack,
+		state:          stateNone,
+		curFgColor:     ColorWhite,
+		curBgColor:     ColorBlack,
+	}
+	return ei
+}
+
+// reset sets the escapeInterpreter in inital state.
+func (ei *escapeInterpreter) reset() {
+	ei.state = stateNone
+	ei.curFgColor = ei.defaultFgColor
+	ei.curBgColor = ei.defaultBgColor
+	ei.csiParam = nil
+}
+
+// paramToColor returns an attribute given a terminfo coloring.
+func paramToColor(p int) Attribute {
+	switch p {
+	case 0:
+		return ColorBlack
+	case 1:
+		return ColorRed
+	case 2:
+		return ColorGreen
+	case 3:
+		return ColorYellow
+	case 4:
+		return ColorBlue
+	case 5:
+		return ColorMagenta
+	case 6:
+		return ColorCyan
+	case 7:
+		return ColorWhite
+	}
+	return ColorDefault
+}
+
+// parseOne parses a rune. If isEscape is true, it means that the rune is part
+// of an scape sequence, and as such should not be printed verbatim. Otherwise,
+// it's not an escape sequence.
+func (ei *escapeInterpreter) parseOne(ch rune) (isEscape bool, err error) {
+	// Sanity checks to make sure we're not parsing something totally bogus.
+	if len(ei.csiParam) > 20 {
+		return false, errCSITooLong
+	}
+	if len(ei.csiParam) > 0 && len(ei.csiParam[len(ei.csiParam)-1]) > 255 {
+		return false, errCSITooLong
+	}
+	ei.curch = ch
+	switch ei.state {
+	case stateNone:
+		if ch == 0x1b {
+			ei.state = stateEscape
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		return false, nil
+	case stateEscape:
+		if ch == '[' {
+			ei.state = stateCSI
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		return false, errNotCSI
+	case stateCSI:
+		if ch >= '0' && ch <= '9' {
+			ei.state = stateParams
+			ei.csiParam = append(ei.csiParam, string(ch))
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		return false, errCSINotANumber
+	case stateParams:
+		switch {
+		case ch >= '0' && ch <= '9':
+			ei.csiParam[len(ei.csiParam)-1] += string(ch)
+			return true, nil
+		case ch == ';':
+			ei.csiParam = append(ei.csiParam, "")
+			return true, nil
+		case ch == 'm':
+			if len(ei.csiParam) < 1 {
+				return false, errCSIParseError
+			}
+			for _, param := range ei.csiParam {
+				p, err := strconv.Atoi(param)
+				if err != nil {
+					return false, errCSIParseError
+				}
+				switch {
+				case p >= 30 && p <= 37:
+					ei.curFgColor = paramToColor(p - 30)
+				case p >= 40 && p <= 47:
+					ei.curBgColor = paramToColor(p - 40)
+				case p == 1:
+					ei.curFgColor |= AttrBold
+				case p == 4:
+					ei.curFgColor |= AttrUnderline
+				case p == 7:
+					ei.curFgColor |= AttrReverse
+				case p == 0 || p == 39:
+					ei.curFgColor = ei.defaultFgColor
+					ei.curBgColor = ei.defaultBgColor
+				}
+			}
+			ei.state = stateNone
+			ei.csiParam = nil
+			return true, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return false, nil
+}
diff --git a/view.go b/view.go
index 176ab9e..d5fa654 100644
--- a/view.go
+++ b/view.go
@@ -20,13 +20,15 @@ type View struct {
 	x0, y0, x1, y1 int
 	ox, oy         int
 	cx, cy         int
-	lines          [][]rune
+	lines          [][]cell
 	readOffset     int
 	readCache      string
 
 	tainted   bool       // marks if the viewBuffer must be updated
 	viewLines []viewLine // internal representation of the view's buffer
 
+	ei *escapeInterpreter // used to decode ESC sequences on Write
+
 	// BgColor and FgColor allow to configure the background and foreground
 	// colors of the View.
 	BgColor, FgColor Attribute
@@ -68,7 +70,23 @@ type View struct {
 
 type viewLine struct {
 	linesX, linesY int // coordinates relative to v.lines
-	line           []rune
+	line           []cell
+}
+
+type cell struct {
+	chr              rune
+	bgColor, fgColor Attribute
+}
+
+type lineType []cell
+
+// String returns a string from a given cell slice.
+func (l lineType) String() string {
+	str := ""
+	for _, c := range l {
+		str += string(c.chr)
+	}
+	return str
 }
 
 // newView returns a new View object.
@@ -81,6 +99,7 @@ func newView(name string, x0, y0, x1, y1 int) *View {
 		y1:      y1,
 		Frame:   true,
 		tainted: true,
+		ei:      newEscapeInterpreter(),
 	}
 	return v
 }
@@ -95,10 +114,10 @@ func (v *View) Name() string {
 	return v.name
 }
 
-// setRune writes a rune at the given point, relative to the view. It
-// checks if the position is valid and applies the view's colors, taking
-// into account if the cell must be highlighted.
-func (v *View) setRune(x, y int, ch rune) error {
+// setRune sets a rune at the given point relative to the view. It applies the
+// specified colors, taking into account if the cell must be highlighted. Also,
+// it checks if the position is valid.
+func (v *View) setRune(x, y int, ch rune, fgColor, bgColor Attribute) error {
 	maxX, maxY := v.Size()
 	if x < 0 || x >= maxX || y < 0 || y >= maxY {
 		return errors.New("invalid point")
@@ -119,20 +138,18 @@ func (v *View) setRune(x, y int, ch rune) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	var fgColor, bgColor Attribute
-	if v.Highlight && ry == rcy {
-		fgColor = v.SelFgColor
-		bgColor = v.SelBgColor
-	} else {
+	if v.Mask != 0 {
 		fgColor = v.FgColor
 		bgColor = v.BgColor
+		ch = v.Mask
+	} else if v.Highlight && ry == rcy {
+		fgColor = v.SelFgColor
+		bgColor = v.SelBgColor
 	}
 
-	if v.Mask != 0 {
-		ch = v.Mask
-	}
 	termbox.SetCell(v.x0+x+1, v.y0+y+1, ch,
 		termbox.Attribute(fgColor), termbox.Attribute(bgColor))
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -188,20 +205,63 @@ func (v *View) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 			if nl > 0 {
 				v.lines[nl-1] = nil
 			} else {
-				v.lines = make([][]rune, 1)
+				v.lines = make([][]cell, 1)
 			}
 		default:
+			cells := v.parseInput(ch)
+			if cells == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			nl := len(v.lines)
 			if nl > 0 {
-				v.lines[nl-1] = append(v.lines[nl-1], ch)
+				v.lines[nl-1] = append(v.lines[nl-1], cells...)
 			} else {
-				v.lines = append(v.lines, []rune{ch})
+				v.lines = append(v.lines, cells)
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	return len(p), nil
 }
 
+// parseInput parses char by char the input written to the View. It returns nil
+// while processing ESC sequences. Otherwise, it returns a cell slice that
+// contains the processed data.
+func (v *View) parseInput(ch rune) []cell {
+	cells := []cell{}
+
+	// ei's default colors must be updated, because they could have been
+	// changed
+	v.ei.defaultFgColor = v.FgColor
+	v.ei.defaultBgColor = v.BgColor
+
+	isEscape, err := v.ei.parseOne(ch)
+	if err != nil {
+		for _, r := range v.ei.runes() {
+			c := cell{
+				fgColor: v.FgColor,
+				bgColor: v.BgColor,
+				chr:     r,
+			}
+			cells = append(cells, c)
+		}
+		v.ei.reset()
+	} else {
+		if isEscape {
+			return nil
+		} else {
+			c := cell{
+				fgColor: v.ei.curFgColor,
+				bgColor: v.ei.curBgColor,
+				chr:     ch,
+			}
+			cells = append(cells, c)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return cells
+}
+
 // Read reads data into p. It returns the number of bytes read into p.
 // At EOF, err will be io.EOF. Calling Read() after Rewind() makes the
 // cache to be refreshed with the contents of the view.
@@ -276,14 +336,14 @@ func (v *View) draw() error {
 			break
 		}
 		x := 0
-		for j, ch := range vline.line {
+		for j, c := range vline.line {
 			if j < v.ox {
 				continue
 			}
 			if x >= maxX {
 				break
 			}
-			if err := v.setRune(x, y, ch); err != nil {
+			if err := v.setRune(x, y, c.chr, c.fgColor, c.bgColor); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			x++
@@ -356,21 +416,21 @@ func (v *View) writeRune(x, y int, ch rune) error {
 	}
 
 	if y >= len(v.lines) {
-		s := make([][]rune, y-len(v.lines)+1)
+		s := make([][]cell, y-len(v.lines)+1)
 		v.lines = append(v.lines, s...)
 	}
 
 	olen := len(v.lines[y])
 	if x >= len(v.lines[y]) {
-		s := make([]rune, x-len(v.lines[y])+1)
+		s := make([]cell, x-len(v.lines[y])+1)
 		v.lines[y] = append(v.lines[y], s...)
 	}
 
 	if !v.Overwrite && x < olen {
-		v.lines[y] = append(v.lines[y], '\x00')
+		v.lines[y] = append(v.lines[y], cell{chr: '\x00'})
 		copy(v.lines[y][x+1:], v.lines[y][x:])
 	}
-	v.lines[y][x] = ch
+	v.lines[y][x] = cell{chr: ch}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -425,17 +485,17 @@ func (v *View) breakLine(x, y int) error {
 		return errors.New("invalid point")
 	}
 
-	var left, right []rune
+	var left, right []cell
 	if x < len(v.lines[y]) { // break line
-		left = make([]rune, len(v.lines[y][:x]))
+		left = make([]cell, len(v.lines[y][:x]))
 		copy(left, v.lines[y][:x])
-		right = make([]rune, len(v.lines[y][x:]))
+		right = make([]cell, len(v.lines[y][x:]))
 		copy(right, v.lines[y][x:])
 	} else { // new empty line
 		left = v.lines[y]
 	}
 
-	lines := make([][]rune, len(v.lines)+1)
+	lines := make([][]cell, len(v.lines)+1)
 	lines[y] = left
 	lines[y+1] = right
 	copy(lines, v.lines[:y])
@@ -449,7 +509,7 @@ func (v *View) breakLine(x, y int) error {
 func (v *View) Buffer() string {
 	str := ""
 	for _, l := range v.lines {
-		str += string(l) + "\n"
+		str += lineType(l).String() + "\n"
 	}
 	return strings.Replace(str, "\x00", " ", -1)
 }
@@ -459,7 +519,7 @@ func (v *View) Buffer() string {
 func (v *View) ViewBuffer() string {
 	str := ""
 	for _, l := range v.viewLines {
-		str += string(l.line) + "\n"
+		str += lineType(l.line).String() + "\n"
 	}
 	return strings.Replace(str, "\x00", " ", -1)
 }
@@ -475,7 +535,8 @@ func (v *View) Line(y int) (string, error) {
 	if y < 0 || y >= len(v.lines) {
 		return "", errors.New("invalid point")
 	}
-	return string(v.lines[y]), nil
+
+	return lineType(v.lines[y]).String(), nil
 }
 
 // Word returns a string with the word of the view's internal buffer
@@ -489,20 +550,22 @@ func (v *View) Word(x, y int) (string, error) {
 	if x < 0 || y < 0 || y >= len(v.lines) || x >= len(v.lines[y]) {
 		return "", errors.New("invalid point")
 	}
-	l := string(v.lines[y])
-	nl := strings.LastIndexFunc(l[:x], indexFunc)
+
+	str := lineType(v.lines[y]).String()
+
+	nl := strings.LastIndexFunc(str[:x], indexFunc)
 	if nl == -1 {
 		nl = 0
 	} else {
 		nl = nl + 1
 	}
-	nr := strings.IndexFunc(l[x:], indexFunc)
+	nr := strings.IndexFunc(str[x:], indexFunc)
 	if nr == -1 {
-		nr = len(l)
+		nr = len(str)
 	} else {
 		nr = nr + x
 	}
-	return string(l[nl:nr]), nil
+	return string(str[nl:nr]), nil
 }
 
 // indexFunc allows to split lines by words taking into account spaces