diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index a1c123a..9981ca3 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -6,18 +6,10 @@ enum {
 	WIN_HEIGHT = 600
 };
 
-/* bar font:
- * overwritten by the 'font' X resource property.
- * (see fonts-conf(5) subsection "FONT NAMES" for valid values)
+/* colors and font are configured with 'background', 'foreground' and
+ * 'font' X resource properties.
+ * See X(7) section Resources and xrdb(1) for more information.
  */
-static const char * const BAR_FONT = "monospace:size=8";
-
-/* colors:
- * overwritten by 'background' and 'foreground' X resource properties.
- * (see X(7) section "COLOR NAMES" for valid values)
- */
-static const char * const BG_COLOR = "#ffffea";
-static const char * const FG_COLOR = "#555555";
 
 #endif
 #ifdef _IMAGE_CONFIG
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index 704a7e0..b41d6c1 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -152,11 +152,11 @@ void win_init(win_t *win)
 	if (setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "") == NULL || XSupportsLocale() == 0)
 		error(0, 0, "No locale support");
 
-	f = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".font", BAR_FONT);
+	f = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".font", "monospace-8");
 	win_init_font(e, f);
 
-	bg = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".background", BG_COLOR);
-	fg = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".foreground", FG_COLOR);
+	bg = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".background", "white");
+	fg = win_res(e->dpy, RES_CLASS ".foreground", "black");
 	win_alloc_color(e, bg, &win->bg);
 	win_alloc_color(e, fg, &win->fg);
 	win_alloc_color(e, "black", &win->black);