diff --git a/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.h b/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.h
--- a/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.h
+++ b/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.h
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 #include <kolabdefinitions.h> //libkolab
 #include <formathelpers.h> //libkolab
 
+#define KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION "/vendor/kolab/color"
+
+class QColor;
+
 class KolabHelpers {
 public:
     static bool checkForErrors(const Akonadi::Item &affectedItem);
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@
     static Kolab::FolderType folderTypeFromString(const QByteArray &folderTypeName);
     static QByteArray getFolderTypeAnnotation( const QMap<QByteArray, QByteArray> &annotations);
     static void setFolderTypeAnnotation( QMap<QByteArray, QByteArray> &annotations, const QByteArray &value);
+    static QColor getFolderColor(const QMap<QByteArray, QByteArray> &annotations);
     static Kolab::ObjectType getKolabTypeFromMimeType(const QString &type);
     static QByteArray kolabTypeForMimeType( const QStringList &contentMimeTypes );
     static QStringList getContentMimeTypes(Kolab::FolderType type);
diff --git a/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.cpp b/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.cpp
--- a/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.cpp
+++ b/resources/kolab/kolabhelpers.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 #include "tracer.h"
 
+
 bool KolabHelpers::checkForErrors(const Akonadi::Item &item)
 {
     if (!Kolab::ErrorHandler::instance().errorOccured()) {
@@ -427,6 +428,17 @@
     return annotations.value(KOLAB_FOLDER_TYPE_ANNOTATION);
 }
 
+QColor KolabHelpers::getFolderColor(const QMap< QByteArray, QByteArray > &annotations)
+{
+    if (annotations.contains("/shared" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION) && !annotations.value("/shared" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION).isEmpty()) {
+        return QColor(QLatin1String("#") + annotations.value("/shared" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION));
+    } else if (annotations.contains("/private" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION) && !annotations.value("/private" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION).isEmpty()) {
+        return QColor(QLatin1String("#") + annotations.value("/private" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION));
+    }
+    return QColor();
+}
+
+
 void KolabHelpers::setFolderTypeAnnotation(QMap< QByteArray, QByteArray >& annotations, const QByteArray& value)
 {
     annotations["/shared" KOLAB_FOLDER_TYPE_ANNOTATION] = value;
diff --git a/resources/kolab/kolabresource.cpp b/resources/kolab/kolabresource.cpp
--- a/resources/kolab/kolabresource.cpp
+++ b/resources/kolab/kolabresource.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     KGlobal::locale()->insertCatalog(QLatin1String("akonadi_imap_resource"));
     //Ensure we have up-to date metadata before attempting to sync folder
     setScheduleAttributeSyncBeforeItemSync(true);
-    setKeepLocalCollectionChanges(QSet<QByteArray>() << "ENTITYDISPLAY" << Akonadi::BlockAlarmsAttribute().type());
+    setKeepLocalCollectionChanges(QSet<QByteArray>() << Akonadi::BlockAlarmsAttribute().type());
 }
 
 KolabResource::~KolabResource()
diff --git a/resources/kolab/kolabretrievecollectionstask.cpp b/resources/kolab/kolabretrievecollectionstask.cpp
--- a/resources/kolab/kolabretrievecollectionstask.cpp
+++ b/resources/kolab/kolabretrievecollectionstask.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@
 {
     mRequestedMetadata << "/shared/vendor/kolab/folder-type";
     mRequestedMetadata << "/private/vendor/kolab/folder-type";
+    mRequestedMetadata << "/shared" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION
+                       << "/private" KOLAB_COLOR_ANNOTATION;
 }
 
 KolabRetrieveCollectionsTask::~KolabRetrieveCollectionsTask()
@@ -480,6 +482,7 @@
             const Kolab::FolderType folderType = KolabHelpers::folderTypeFromString(type);
             // kDebug() << mailbox << metadata << type << folderType << KolabHelpers::getContentMimeTypes(folderType);
             collection.setContentMimeTypes(KolabHelpers::getContentMimeTypes(folderType));
+            collection.attribute<Akonadi::EntityDisplayAttribute>(Akonadi::Collection::AddIfMissing)->setBackgroundColor(KolabHelpers::getFolderColor(metadata));
             QSet<QByteArray> keepLocalChanges = collection.keepLocalChanges();
             keepLocalChanges.remove(cContentMimeTypes);
             collection.setKeepLocalChanges(keepLocalChanges);