diff --git a/include/wx/generic/dataview.h b/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
index b773882488..262d318696 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "wx/defs.h"
 #include "wx/object.h"
+#include "wx/compositewin.h"
 #include "wx/control.h"
 #include "wx/scrolwin.h"
 #include "wx/icon.h"
@@ -180,8 +181,9 @@ private:
 // wxDataViewCtrl
 // ---------------------------------------------------------
 
-class WXDLLIMPEXP_CORE wxDataViewCtrl : public wxDataViewCtrlBase,
-                                       public wxScrollHelper
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_CORE wxDataViewCtrl
+    : public wxCompositeWindow<wxDataViewCtrlBase>,
+      public wxScrollHelper
 {
     friend class wxDataViewMainWindow;
     friend class wxDataViewHeaderWindowBase;
@@ -192,6 +194,8 @@ class WXDLLIMPEXP_CORE wxDataViewCtrl : public wxDataViewCtrlBase,
     friend class wxDataViewCtrlAccessible;
 #endif // wxUSE_ACCESSIBILITY
 
+    typedef wxCompositeWindow<wxDataViewCtrlBase> BaseType;
+
 public:
     wxDataViewCtrl() : wxScrollHelper(this)
     {
@@ -264,6 +268,8 @@ public:
     virtual void SetFocus() wxOVERRIDE;
 
     virtual bool SetFont(const wxFont & font) wxOVERRIDE;
+    virtual bool SetForegroundColour(const wxColour& colour) wxOVERRIDE;
+    virtual bool SetBackgroundColour(const wxColour& colour) wxOVERRIDE;
 
 #if wxUSE_ACCESSIBILITY
     virtual bool Show(bool show = true) wxOVERRIDE;
@@ -361,6 +367,9 @@ public:     // utility functions not part of the API
 #endif // wxUSE_ACCESSIBILITY
 
 private:
+    // Implement pure virtual method inherited from wxCompositeWindow.
+    virtual wxWindowList GetCompositeWindowParts() const wxOVERRIDE;
+
     virtual wxDataViewItem DoGetCurrentItem() const wxOVERRIDE;
     virtual void DoSetCurrentItem(const wxDataViewItem& item) wxOVERRIDE;
 
diff --git a/samples/dataview/dataview.cpp b/samples/dataview/dataview.cpp
index 41e821cb83..742002aab2 100644
--- a/samples/dataview/dataview.cpp
+++ b/samples/dataview/dataview.cpp
@@ -617,9 +617,6 @@ MyFrame::MyFrame(wxFrame *frame, const wxString &title, int x, int y, int w, int
     wxSizer *firstPanelSz = new wxBoxSizer( wxVERTICAL );
     m_ctrl[Page_Music]->SetMinSize(wxSize(-1, 200));
     firstPanelSz->Add(m_ctrl[Page_Music], 1, wxGROW|wxALL, 5);
-    firstPanelSz->Add(
-        new wxStaticText(firstPanel, wxID_ANY, "Most of the cells above are editable!"),
-        0, wxGROW|wxALL, 5);
     firstPanelSz->Add(button_sizer);
     firstPanelSz->Add(sizerCurrent);
     firstPanel->SetSizerAndFit(firstPanelSz);
@@ -837,6 +834,8 @@ void MyFrame::BuildDataViewCtrl(wxPanel* parent, unsigned int nPanel, unsigned l
 
             // select initially the ninth symphony:
             m_ctrl[Page_Music]->Select(m_music_model->GetNinthItem());
+
+            m_ctrl[Page_Music]->SetToolTip("You may edit most of the cells here!");
         }
         break;
 
diff --git a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
index 164e2a6b0d..449f355668 100644
--- a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
@@ -5584,6 +5584,14 @@ bool wxDataViewCtrl::Create(wxWindow *parent,
     return true;
 }
 
+wxWindowList wxDataViewCtrl::GetCompositeWindowParts() const
+{
+    wxWindowList parts;
+    parts.push_back(m_headerArea); // It's ok to add it even if it's null.
+    parts.push_back(m_clientArea);
+    return parts;
+}
+
 wxBorder wxDataViewCtrl::GetDefaultBorder() const
 {
     return wxBORDER_THEME;
@@ -5679,15 +5687,11 @@ void wxDataViewCtrl::SetFocus()
 
 bool wxDataViewCtrl::SetFont(const wxFont & font)
 {
-    if (!wxControl::SetFont(font))
+    if (!BaseType::SetFont(font))
         return false;
 
-    if (m_headerArea)
-        m_headerArea->SetFont(font);
-
     if (m_clientArea)
     {
-        m_clientArea->SetFont(font);
         m_clientArea->SetRowHeight(m_clientArea->GetDefaultRowHeight());
     }
 
@@ -5700,6 +5704,35 @@ bool wxDataViewCtrl::SetFont(const wxFont & font)
     return true;
 }
 
+bool wxDataViewCtrl::SetForegroundColour(const wxColour& colour)
+{
+    // Previous versions of this class, not using wxCompositeWindow, as well as
+    // the native versions of this control, don't change the header foreground
+    // when this method is called and this could be more desirable in practice,
+    // as well we being more compatible, so skip calling the base class version
+    // that would change it as well and change only the main items area colour
+    // here too.
+    if ( !wxDataViewCtrlBase::SetForegroundColour(colour) )
+        return false;
+
+    if ( m_clientArea )
+        m_clientArea->SetForegroundColour(colour);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool wxDataViewCtrl::SetBackgroundColour(const wxColour& colour)
+{
+    // See SetForegroundColour() above.
+    if ( !wxDataViewCtrlBase::SetBackgroundColour(colour) )
+        return false;
+
+    if ( m_clientArea )
+        m_clientArea->SetBackgroundColour(colour);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 #if wxUSE_ACCESSIBILITY
 bool wxDataViewCtrl::Show(bool show)
 {