diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notebook.less b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
index 86b5cb70a..dd9aaae40 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notebook.less
@@ -31,6 +31,16 @@ div#notebook {
     margin: 0px;
     outline: none;
     .border-box-sizing();
+
+    background-color : @notebook_dark_background;
+}
+
+#notebook-container{
+    padding-right:80px;
+    padding-top:10px;
+    border-color:  @body-bg;
+    background-color :  @body-bg;
+    box-shadow: 0px 0px 12px 1px rgba(87,87,87,0.2);    
 }
 
 div.ui-widget-content {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/variables.less b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/variables.less
index 466cb090f..69c16b6b6 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/variables.less
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/variables.less
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 @light_border_color:            darken(@cell_selected_background, 17%);
 @border_width:                  1px;
 @notebook_font_size:            14px;
+@notebook_dark_background:      #EEE;
 @notebook_line_height:          20px;
 @code_line_height:              1.21429em;  // changed from 1.231 to get 17px even
 @code_padding:                  0.4em;  // 5.6 px
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css b/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
index 78c3e05f7..2387b71d8 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
+++ b/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
@@ -9492,6 +9492,14 @@ div#notebook {
   box-sizing: border-box;
   -moz-box-sizing: border-box;
   -webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
+  background-color: #eeeeee;
+}
+#notebook-container {
+  padding-right: 80px;
+  padding-top: 10px;
+  border-color: #ffffff;
+  background-color: #ffffff;
+  box-shadow: 0px 0px 12px 1px rgba(87, 87, 87, 0.2);
 }
 div.ui-widget-content {
   border: 1px solid #ababab;