diff --git a/src/color.rs b/src/color.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d24f8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/color.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+use crate::error::Error;
+use std::convert::TryFrom;
+
+pub(crate) trait ToCode {
+    fn to_code(&self) -> String;
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum ColorName {
+    BrightGreen,
+    Green,
+    YellowGreen,
+    Yellow,
+    Orange,
+    Red,
+    Blue,
+    LightGrey,
+    Success,
+    Important,
+    Critical,
+    Informational,
+    Inactive,
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&str> for ColorName {
+    type Error = Error;
+    fn try_from(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        match s.to_lowercase().as_str() {
+            "brightgreen" => Ok(ColorName::BrightGreen),
+            "green" => Ok(ColorName::Green),
+            "yellowgreen" => Ok(ColorName::YellowGreen),
+            "yellow" => Ok(ColorName::Yellow),
+            "orange" => Ok(ColorName::Orange),
+            "red" => Ok(ColorName::Red),
+            "blue" => Ok(ColorName::Blue),
+            "lightgrey" => Ok(ColorName::LightGrey),
+            "success" => Ok(ColorName::Success),
+            "important" => Ok(ColorName::Important),
+            "critical" => Ok(ColorName::Critical),
+            "informational" => Ok(ColorName::Informational),
+            "inactive" => Ok(ColorName::Inactive),
+            _ => Err(Error::ParseColor),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl ToCode for ColorName {
+    fn to_code(&self) -> String {
+        use ColorName::*;
+        match self {
+            BrightGreen | Success => "#44cc11",
+            Green => "#97ca00",
+            YellowGreen => "#a4a61d",
+            Yellow => "#dfb317",
+            Orange | Important => "#fe7d37",
+            Red | Critical => "#e05d44",
+            Blue | Informational => "#007ec6",
+            LightGrey | Inactive => "#9f9f9f",
+        }
+        .to_string()
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct ColorCode(String);
+
+impl TryFrom<&str> for ColorCode {
+    type Error = Error;
+    fn try_from(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        let s = if s.starts_with('#') { &s[1..] } else { s };
+        let len = s.len();
+        if (len == 3 || len == 6) && s.chars().all(|c| c.is_digit(16)) {
+            Ok(ColorCode(s.to_lowercase().to_string()))
+        } else {
+            Err(Error::ParseColor)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl ToCode for ColorCode {
+    fn to_code(&self) -> String {
+        format!("#{}", self.0)
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum ColorKind {
+    Name(ColorName),
+    Code(ColorCode),
+}
+
+impl TryFrom<&str> for ColorKind {
+    type Error = Error;
+    fn try_from(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        ColorName::try_from(s)
+            .map(|c| ColorKind::Name(c))
+            .or_else(|_| ColorCode::try_from(s).map(|c| ColorKind::Code(c)))
+    }
+}
+
+impl ToCode for ColorKind {
+    fn to_code(&self) -> String {
+        match self {
+            ColorKind::Name(name) => name.to_code(),
+            ColorKind::Code(code) => code.to_code(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for ColorKind {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        ColorKind::Name(ColorName::Success)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_colorcode() {
+        let valid_long = "aaBB11";
+        let valid_short = "aB1";
+        let pound_valid_long: &str = &format!("#{}", valid_long);
+        let pound_valid_short: &str = &format!("#{}", valid_short);
+        let valid_long = ColorCode::try_from(valid_long);
+        let valid_short = ColorCode::try_from(valid_short);
+        let pound_valid_long = ColorCode::try_from(pound_valid_long);
+        let pound_valid_short = ColorCode::try_from(pound_valid_short);
+
+        let too_short = "ab";
+        let too_long = "aaaaaab";
+        let non_hex = "aag";
+        let too_short = ColorCode::try_from(too_short);
+        let too_long = ColorCode::try_from(too_long);
+        let non_hex = ColorCode::try_from(non_hex);
+
+        assert_eq!(&valid_long.unwrap().to_code(), "#aabb11");
+        assert_eq!(&valid_short.unwrap().to_code(), "#ab1");
+        assert_eq!(&pound_valid_long.unwrap().to_code(), "#aabb11");
+        assert_eq!(&pound_valid_short.unwrap().to_code(), "#ab1");
+
+        assert!(too_short.is_err());
+        assert!(too_long.is_err());
+        assert!(non_hex.is_err());
+    }
+}