diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 990b1e626..10e69ff38 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     "clear-cut": "0.4.0",
     "coffee-script": "1.8.0",
     "coffeestack": "0.8.0",
+    "color": "^0.7.3",
     "delegato": "^1",
     "emissary": "^1.3.1",
     "event-kit": "^1.0.1",
diff --git a/spec/config-spec.coffee b/spec/config-spec.coffee
index 31e0756fc..ed3f3d3de 100644
--- a/spec/config-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/config-spec.coffee
@@ -1287,6 +1287,25 @@ describe "Config", ->
           atom.config.set 'foo.bar', ['2', '3', '4']
           expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar')).toEqual  [2, 3, 4]
 
+      describe 'when the value has a "color" type', ->
+        beforeEach ->
+          schema =
+            type: 'color'
+            default: true
+          atom.config.setSchema('foo.bar.aColor', schema)
+
+        it 'coerces various types to a color object', ->
+          atom.config.set('foo.bar.aColor', 'red')
+          expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.aColor')).toEqual {red: 255, green: 0, blue: 0, alpha: 1}
+          atom.config.set('foo.bar.aColor', '#020')
+          expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.aColor')).toEqual {red: 0, green: 34, blue: 0, alpha: 1}
+          atom.config.set('foo.bar.aColor', '#abcdef')
+          expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.aColor')).toEqual {red: 171, green: 205, blue: 239, alpha: 1}
+          atom.config.set('foo.bar.aColor', 'rgb(1,2,3)')
+          expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.aColor')).toEqual {red: 1, green: 2, blue: 3, alpha: 1}
+          atom.config.set('foo.bar.aColor', 'rgba(4,5,6,.7)')
+          expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.aColor')).toEqual {red: 4, green: 5, blue: 6, alpha: .7}
+
       describe 'when the `enum` key is used', ->
         beforeEach ->
           schema =
diff --git a/src/config.coffee b/src/config.coffee
index 0f6498e14..15c2b0aa7 100644
--- a/src/config.coffee
+++ b/src/config.coffee
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ EmitterMixin = require('emissary').Emitter
 CSON = require 'season'
 path = require 'path'
 async = require 'async'
+Color = require 'color'
 pathWatcher = require 'pathwatcher'
 Grim = require 'grim'
 
@@ -1103,6 +1104,18 @@ Config.addSchemaEnforcers
       else
         value
 
+  'color':
+    coerce: (keyPath, value, schema) ->
+      try
+        color = new Color(value)
+      catch error
+        throw new Error("Validation failed at #{keyPath}, #{JSON.stringify(value)} cannot be coerced into a color")
+
+      red: color.red()
+      green: color.green()
+      blue: color.blue()
+      alpha: color.alpha()
+
   '*':
     coerceMinimumAndMaximum: (keyPath, value, schema) ->
       return value unless typeof value is 'number'