diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.cpp b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.cpp
index 82bb1cf78..18c678f91 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.cpp
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.cpp
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ static GtkWidget *pWindow;
 static GtkWidget *pToolBar;
 static GtkWidget *pStatusBar;
 static GtkWidget *pDrawingArea;
+static GtkWidget *pContentBox;
 
 struct nds_screen_t {
     guint gap_size;
@@ -3013,8 +3014,16 @@ common_gtk_main(GApplication *app, gpointer user_data)
     pToolBar = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "toolbar"));
     pDrawingArea = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "drawing-area"));
     pStatusBar = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "status-bar"));
+    pContentBox = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "content-box"));
     g_object_unref(builder);
 
+    /* Set colors for content box background and status bar text */
+    GdkRGBA color_black = { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0 };
+    gtk_widget_override_background_color(pContentBox, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &color_black);
+
+    GdkRGBA color_soft_gray = { 0.8, 0.8, 0.8, 1.0 };
+    gtk_widget_override_color(pStatusBar, GTK_STATE_FLAG_NORMAL, &color_soft_gray);
+
     gtk_application_add_window(GTK_APPLICATION(app), GTK_WINDOW(pWindow));
 
     g_signal_connect(G_OBJECT(pWindow), "destroy", G_CALLBACK(DoQuit), NULL);
diff --git a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.ui b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.ui
index 8d69fe3e7..71ee1df1e 100644
--- a/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.ui
+++ b/desmume/src/frontend/posix/gtk/main.ui
@@ -79,25 +79,36 @@
           </packing>
         </child>
         <child>
-          <object class="GtkDrawingArea" id="drawing-area">
+          <object class="GtkBox" id="content-box">
             <property name="visible">True</property>
             <property name="can-focus">False</property>
+            <property name="orientation">vertical</property>
+            <child>
+              <object class="GtkDrawingArea" id="drawing-area">
+                <property name="visible">True</property>
+                <property name="can-focus">False</property>
+              </object>
+              <packing>
+                <property name="expand">True</property>
+                <property name="fill">True</property>
+                <property name="position">1</property>
+              </packing>
+            </child>
+            <child>
+              <object class="GtkStatusbar" id="status-bar">
+                <property name="visible">True</property>
+                <property name="can-focus">False</property>
+              </object>
+              <packing>
+                <property name="expand">False</property>
+                <property name="fill">True</property>
+                <property name="position">2</property>
+              </packing>
+            </child>
           </object>
           <packing>
             <property name="expand">True</property>
             <property name="fill">True</property>
-            <property name="position">1</property>
-          </packing>
-        </child>
-        <child>
-          <object class="GtkStatusbar" id="status-bar">
-            <property name="visible">True</property>
-            <property name="can-focus">False</property>
-          </object>
-          <packing>
-            <property name="expand">False</property>
-            <property name="fill">True</property>
-            <property name="position">2</property>
           </packing>
         </child>
       </object>