diff --git a/core/css/apps.scss b/core/css/apps.scss
index 31338b086b..8e804bf85f 100644
--- a/core/css/apps.scss
+++ b/core/css/apps.scss
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ em {
 .section {
 	display: block;
 	padding: 30px;
-	color: $color-main-text-dimmed;
+	color: $color-main-old-555555;
 	margin-bottom: 24px;
 	&.hidden {
 		display: none !important;
@@ -520,10 +520,10 @@ em {
 		float: left;
 		padding: 5px;
 		cursor: pointer;
-		color: $color-main-text-dimmed;
+		color: $color-main-old-555555;
 		margin-bottom: 1px;
 		a {
-			color: $color-main-text-dimmed;
+			color: $color-main-old-555555;
 			margin-bottom: 1px;
 		}
 		&.selected {
diff --git a/core/css/styles.scss b/core/css/styles.scss
index 27a4dc86c9..0fb6d60888 100644
--- a/core/css/styles.scss
+++ b/core/css/styles.scss
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ code {
 	padding: 0 !important;
 	div {
 		padding: 0;
-		background-color: $color-main-old-d3d3d3;
+		background-color: nc-darken($color-main-background, 10%);
 		font-weight: normal;
 		white-space: nowrap;
 		border-bottom-left-radius: 3px;
diff --git a/core/css/variables.scss b/core/css/variables.scss
index 4d554f5176..1ca81610f1 100644
--- a/core/css/variables.scss
+++ b/core/css/variables.scss
@@ -6,28 +6,26 @@ $color-error: #e9322d;
 $color-warning: #ffcc44;
 $color-success: #46ba61;
 
+@function nc-darken($color, $value) {
+  @return darken($color, $value);
+}
+
+@function nc-lighten($color, $value) {
+  @return lighten($color, $value);
+}
 
 $image-logo: '../img/logo-icon.svg?v=1';
 $image-login-background: '../img/background.jpg?v=1';
 
-$color-main-text-dimmed: #555555;
-$color-main-background-dimmed: #f0f0f0;
-
-$color-box-shadow: rgba(lighten($color-main-text-dimmed, 25%), 0.75);
 $color-loading: #969696;
 $color-loading-dark: #bbbbbb;
 
+$color-main-old-f8f8f8: nc-darken($color-main-background, 3%);
+$color-main-old-eeeeee: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 93%);
+$color-main-old-dddddd: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 86%);
+$color-main-old-bbbbbb: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 73%);
+$color-main-old-888888: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 53%);
+$color-main-old-555555: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 33%);
+$color-main-old-333333: nc-lighten($color-main-text, 20%);
 
-// need to be reduced/replaced
-
-$color-main-old-f8f8f8: #f8f8f8;
-$color-main-old-eeeeee: #eee;
-
-$color-main-old-dddddd: #ddd;
-$color-main-old-d3d3d3: #d3d3d3;
-
-$color-main-old-bbbbbb: #bbb;
-
-$color-main-old-888888: #888;
-$color-main-old-555555: #555;
-$color-main-old-333333: #333333;
\ No newline at end of file
+$color-box-shadow: rgba($color-main-old-333333, 0.75);
\ No newline at end of file