diff --git a/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.html b/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.html
index e96d3b67e9cc..421f8240ee9c 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.html
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ <h1>Tab Nav Bar</h1>
 <button md-button (click)="tabLinks.shift()">Remove tab</button>
 <button md-button (click)="swapTabLinks()">Swap first two</button>
 <button md-button (click)="addToLabel()">Add to labels</button>
+<button md-button (click)="toggleBackground()">Toggle background</button>
 
 <div class="demo-nav-bar">
-  <nav md-tab-nav-bar aria-label="weather navigation links">
+  <nav md-tab-nav-bar aria-label="weather navigation links" [backgroundColor]="tabNavBackground">
     <a md-tab-link
        *ngFor="let tabLink of tabLinks; let i = index"
        [routerLink]="tabLink.link"
@@ -248,3 +249,31 @@ <h1>Inverted tabs</h1>
     </div>
   </md-tab>
 </md-tab-group>
+
+<h1>Accent tabs</h1>
+<md-tab-group class="demo-tab-group" color="accent">
+  <md-tab label="Earth">
+    <div class="tab-content">
+      This tab is about the Earth!
+    </div>
+  </md-tab>
+  <md-tab label="Fire">
+    <div class="tab-content">
+      This tab is about combustion!
+    </div>
+  </md-tab>
+</md-tab-group>
+
+<h1>Tabs with background color</h1>
+<md-tab-group class="demo-tab-group" backgroundColor="primary" color="accent">
+  <md-tab label="Earth">
+    <div class="tab-content">
+      This tab is about the Earth!
+    </div>
+  </md-tab>
+  <md-tab label="Fire">
+    <div class="tab-content">
+      This tab is about combustion!
+    </div>
+  </md-tab>
+</md-tab-group>
diff --git a/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.ts
index 447fb2794eca..d5eedce2ef86 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/tabs/tabs-demo.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ export class TabsDemo {
     {label: 'Fog', link: 'foggy-tab'},
   ];
 
+  tabNavBackground: any = undefined;
+
   // Standard tabs demo
   tabs = [
     {
@@ -93,6 +95,10 @@ export class TabsDemo {
   addToLabel() {
     this.tabLinks.forEach(link => link.label += 'extracontent');
   }
+
+  toggleBackground() {
+    this.tabNavBackground = this.tabNavBackground ? undefined : 'primary';
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/_tabs-theme.scss b/src/lib/tabs/_tabs-theme.scss
index 0f6238e97549..a0874b1c3c7d 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/_tabs-theme.scss
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/_tabs-theme.scss
@@ -23,21 +23,94 @@
     }
   }
 
-  .mat-tab-label:focus {
-    background-color: mat-color($primary, lighter, 0.3);
+  .mat-tab-label, .mat-tab-link {
+    color: mat-color($foreground, text);
+
+    &.mat-tab-disabled {
+      color: mat-color($foreground, disabled-text);
+    }
+  }
+
+  .mat-tab-header-pagination-chevron {
+    border-color: mat-color($foreground, text);
+  }
+
+  .mat-tab-header-pagination-disabled .mat-tab-header-pagination-chevron {
+    border-color: mat-color($foreground, disabled-text);
+  }
+
+  // Remove header border when there is a background color
+  .mat-tab-group[class*='mat-background-'] .mat-tab-header,
+  .mat-tab-nav-bar[class*='mat-background-'] {
+    border-bottom: none;
+    border-top: none;
+  }
+
+  .mat-tab-group, .mat-tab-nav-bar {
+    $theme-colors: (
+      primary: $primary,
+      accent: $accent,
+      warn: $warn
+    );
+
+    @each $name, $color in $theme-colors {
+      // Set the foreground color of the tabs
+      &.mat-#{$name} {
+        @include _mat-tab-label-focus($color);
+        @include _mat-ink-bar($color);
+
+        // Override ink bar when background color is the same
+        &.mat-background-#{$name} {
+          @include _mat-ink-bar($color, default-contrast);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    @each $name, $color in $theme-colors {
+      // Set background color of the tabs and override focus color
+      &.mat-background-#{$name} {
+        @include _mat-tab-label-focus($color);
+        @include _mat-tabs-background($color);
+      }
+    }
   }
+}
 
+@mixin _mat-ink-bar($color, $hue: default) {
   .mat-ink-bar {
-    background-color: mat-color($primary);
+    background-color: mat-color($color, $hue);
+  }
+}
+
+@mixin _mat-tab-label-focus($tab-focus-color) {
+  .mat-tab-label:focus, .mat-tab-link:focus {
+    background-color: mat-color($tab-focus-color, lighter, 0.3);
+  }
+}
+
+@mixin _mat-tabs-background($background-color) {
+  // Set background color for the tab group
+  .mat-tab-header, .mat-tab-links {
+    background-color: mat-color($background-color);
   }
 
+  // Set labels to contrast against background
   .mat-tab-label, .mat-tab-link {
-    color: mat-color($foreground, text);
+    color: mat-color($background-color, default-contrast);
 
     &.mat-tab-disabled {
-      color: mat-color($foreground, disabled-text);
+      color: mat-color($background-color, default-contrast, 0.4);
     }
   }
+
+  // Set pagination chevrons to contrast background
+  .mat-tab-header-pagination-chevron {
+    border-color: mat-color($background-color, default-contrast);
+  }
+
+  .mat-tab-header-pagination-disabled .mat-tab-header-pagination-chevron {
+    border-color: mat-color($background-color, default-contrast, 0.4);
+  }
 }
 
 @mixin mat-tabs-typography($config) {
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
index edfbb81ddea1..4230db2954e8 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-group.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {MdTab} from './tab';
 import {map} from '../core/rxjs/index';
 import {merge} from 'rxjs/observable/merge';
 import {CanDisableRipple, mixinDisableRipple} from '../core/common-behaviors/disable-ripple';
+import {CanColor, mixinColor, ThemePalette} from '../core/common-behaviors/color';
 
 
 /** Used to generate unique ID's for each tab component */
@@ -46,8 +47,10 @@ export type MdTabHeaderPosition = 'above' | 'below';
 
 // Boilerplate for applying mixins to MdTabGroup.
 /** @docs-private */
-export class MdTabGroupBase {}
-export const _MdTabGroupMixinBase = mixinDisableRipple(MdTabGroupBase);
+export class MdTabGroupBase {
+  constructor(public _renderer: Renderer2, public _elementRef: ElementRef) {}
+}
+export const _MdTabGroupMixinBase = mixinColor(mixinDisableRipple(MdTabGroupBase), 'primary');
 
 /**
  * Material design tab-group component.  Supports basic tab pairs (label + content) and includes
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@ export const _MdTabGroupMixinBase = mixinDisableRipple(MdTabGroupBase);
   templateUrl: 'tab-group.html',
   styleUrls: ['tab-group.css'],
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
-  inputs: ['disableRipple'],
+  inputs: ['color', 'disableRipple'],
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-tab-group',
     '[class.mat-tab-group-dynamic-height]': 'dynamicHeight',
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ export const _MdTabGroupMixinBase = mixinDisableRipple(MdTabGroupBase);
   }
 })
 export class MdTabGroup extends _MdTabGroupMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
-    AfterContentChecked, AfterViewChecked, OnDestroy, CanDisableRipple {
+    AfterContentChecked, AfterViewChecked, OnDestroy, CanColor, CanDisableRipple {
 
   @ContentChildren(MdTab) _tabs: QueryList<MdTab>;
 
@@ -109,6 +112,22 @@ export class MdTabGroup extends _MdTabGroupMixinBase implements AfterContentInit
   /** Position of the tab header. */
   @Input() headerPosition: MdTabHeaderPosition = 'above';
 
+  /** Background color of the tab group. */
+  @Input()
+  get backgroundColor(): ThemePalette { return this._backgroundColor; }
+  set backgroundColor(value: ThemePalette) {
+    let nativeElement = this._elementRef.nativeElement;
+
+    this._renderer.removeClass(nativeElement, `mat-background-${this.backgroundColor}`);
+
+    if (value) {
+      this._renderer.addClass(nativeElement, `mat-background-${value}`);
+    }
+
+    this._backgroundColor = value;
+  }
+  private _backgroundColor: ThemePalette;
+
   /** Output to enable support for two-way binding on `[(selectedIndex)]` */
   @Output() get selectedIndexChange(): Observable<number> {
     return map.call(this.selectChange, event => event.index);
@@ -122,8 +141,10 @@ export class MdTabGroup extends _MdTabGroupMixinBase implements AfterContentInit
 
   private _groupId: number;
 
-  constructor(private _renderer: Renderer2, private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {
-    super();
+  constructor(_renderer: Renderer2,
+              elementRef: ElementRef,
+              private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {
+    super(_renderer, elementRef);
     this._groupId = nextId++;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.scss b/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.scss
index 3e5f4bf75341..7cb991a472c5 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.scss
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-header.scss
@@ -65,10 +65,6 @@
 .mat-tab-header-pagination-disabled {
   box-shadow: none;
   cursor: default;
-
-  .mat-tab-header-pagination-chevron {
-    border-color: #ccc;
-  }
 }
 
 .mat-tab-label-container {
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
index bdd2600ea515..3644ed567c01 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   NgZone,
   OnDestroy,
   Optional,
+  Renderer2,
   ViewChild,
   ViewEncapsulation,
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ import {CanDisable, mixinDisabled} from '../../core/common-behaviors/disabled';
 import {MdRipple} from '../../core';
 import {ViewportRuler} from '../../core/overlay/position/viewport-ruler';
 import {Directionality, MD_RIPPLE_GLOBAL_OPTIONS, Platform, RippleGlobalOptions} from '../../core';
+import {CanColor, mixinColor, ThemePalette} from '../../core/common-behaviors/color';
 import {Subject} from 'rxjs/Subject';
 import {Subscription} from 'rxjs/Subscription';
 import {takeUntil, auditTime} from '../../core/rxjs/index';
@@ -34,6 +36,13 @@ import {of as observableOf} from 'rxjs/observable/of';
 import {merge} from 'rxjs/observable/merge';
 import {fromEvent} from 'rxjs/observable/fromEvent';
 
+// Boilerplate for applying mixins to MdTabNav.
+/** @docs-private */
+export class MdTabNavBase {
+  constructor(public _renderer: Renderer2, public _elementRef: ElementRef) {}
+}
+export const _MdTabNavMixinBase = mixinColor(MdTabNavBase, 'primary');
+
 /**
  * Navigation component matching the styles of the tab group header.
  * Provides anchored navigation with animated ink bar.
@@ -41,13 +50,14 @@ import {fromEvent} from 'rxjs/observable/fromEvent';
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
   selector: '[md-tab-nav-bar], [mat-tab-nav-bar]',
+  inputs: ['color'],
   templateUrl: 'tab-nav-bar.html',
   styleUrls: ['tab-nav-bar.css'],
   host: {'class': 'mat-tab-nav-bar'},
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
 })
-export class MdTabNav implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
+export class MdTabNav extends _MdTabNavMixinBase implements AfterContentInit, CanColor, OnDestroy {
   /** Subject that emits when the component has been destroyed. */
   private _onDestroy = new Subject<void>();
 
@@ -59,10 +69,29 @@ export class MdTabNav implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
   /** Subscription for window.resize event **/
   private _resizeSubscription: Subscription;
 
-  constructor(
-    @Optional() private _dir: Directionality,
-    private _ngZone: NgZone,
-    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) { }
+  /** Background color of the tab nav. */
+  @Input()
+  get backgroundColor(): ThemePalette { return this._backgroundColor; }
+  set backgroundColor(value: ThemePalette) {
+    let nativeElement = this._elementRef.nativeElement;
+
+    this._renderer.removeClass(nativeElement, `mat-background-${this.backgroundColor}`);
+
+    if (value) {
+      this._renderer.addClass(nativeElement, `mat-background-${value}`);
+    }
+
+    this._backgroundColor = value;
+  }
+  private _backgroundColor: ThemePalette;
+
+  constructor(renderer: Renderer2,
+              elementRef: ElementRef,
+              @Optional() private _dir: Directionality,
+              private _ngZone: NgZone,
+              private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef) {
+    super(renderer, elementRef);
+  }
 
   /** Notifies the component that the active link has been changed. */
   updateActiveLink(element: ElementRef) {