diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/ThreadAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/ThreadAdapter.kt
index 83098972..b0606bef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/ThreadAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/adapters/ThreadAdapter.kt
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import android.view.Menu
 import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.adapters.MyRecyclerViewAdapter
+import com.simplemobiletools.commons.extensions.adjustAlpha
+import com.simplemobiletools.commons.extensions.applyColorFilter
+import com.simplemobiletools.commons.extensions.getContrastColor
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.views.FastScroller
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.views.MyRecyclerView
 import com.simplemobiletools.smsmessenger.R
@@ -84,7 +87,13 @@ class ThreadAdapter(
     private fun setupView(view: View, message: Message) {
         view.apply {
             thread_message_body.text = message.body
-            thread_message_body.setTextColor(textColor)
+
+            if (message.isReceivedMessage()) {
+                thread_message_body.setTextColor(textColor)
+            } else {
+                thread_message_holder.background.applyColorFilter(primaryColor.adjustAlpha(0.8f))
+                thread_message_body.setTextColor(primaryColor.getContrastColor())
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_received_background.xml b/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_received_background.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3930c18e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_received_background.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shape="rectangle">
+
+    <corners
+        android:bottomRightRadius="@dimen/normal_margin"
+        android:topLeftRadius="@dimen/normal_margin"
+        android:topRightRadius="@dimen/normal_margin" />
+
+    <solid android:color="@color/activated_item_foreground" />
+
+</shape>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_sent_background.xml b/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_sent_background.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d75f6f79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/drawable/item_sent_background.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:shape="rectangle">
+
+    <corners
+        android:bottomLeftRadius="@dimen/normal_margin"
+        android:topLeftRadius="@dimen/normal_margin"
+        android:topRightRadius="@dimen/normal_margin" />
+
+    <solid android:color="@color/color_primary" />
+
+</shape>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_thread.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_thread.xml
index b9e71d26..6cc520b2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_thread.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_thread.xml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
         android:clipToPadding="false"
         android:overScrollMode="ifContentScrolls"
+        android:padding="@dimen/activity_margin"
         android:scrollbars="none"
         app:layoutManager="com.simplemobiletools.commons.views.MyLinearLayoutManager"
         app:stackFromEnd="true" />
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_received_message.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_received_message.xml
index 9256f0d8..8273d331 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_received_message.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_received_message.xml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
     android:id="@+id/thread_message_holder"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/medium_margin"
+    android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/medium_margin"
+    android:background="@drawable/item_received_background"
     android:padding="@dimen/activity_margin">
 
     <TextView
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_sent_message.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_sent_message.xml
index f960200d..ef8b072c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/item_sent_message.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/item_sent_message.xml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
     android:id="@+id/thread_message_holder"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/medium_margin"
+    android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/medium_margin"
+    android:background="@drawable/item_sent_background"
     android:padding="@dimen/activity_margin">
 
     <TextView